Have you looked at the price of eggs lately? Or gas? Or just about anything required to keep a household running? You walk into the grocery store, and it feels like the numbers on the shelf tags are mocking you. We are living in unpredictable times, and if we are paying attention, it is easy to feel the walls closing in.

The news feeds, social media, and even casual conversations are full of fear-mongering regarding the next economic crash or disaster. Everywhere you look, someone is trying to scare you into panic mode.

But amid all that noise, there is a headline that hasn’t changed for two thousand years: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Inflation hits the grocery line, but it never touches the blood line. Prices rise, markets crash, but the cost of salvation remains exactly what it was at Calvary: paid in full by Him, free to you.

Before the Christmas rush truly overtakes us—before the calendar flips and the panic sets in—we need to anchor ourselves. We need to settle our hearts.

Psalm 4:7-8 says:

“Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”

This passage offers the antidote to the “buy more, do more” fever that starts the moment the Thanksgiving turkey is carved. It offers us a gladness that isn’t tied to the economy and a sleep that isn’t dependent on our circumstances.

David’s Paradox

This week in the US, we are celebrating Thanksgiving. Culturally, we are conditioned to associate thankfulness with abundance. We look at the table groaning under the weight of the feast, the pantry full of food, and the family gathered around, and we say, “I am blessed.”

And you are. But David flips the script in Psalm 4. He talks about a time when “their corn and their wine increased.”

To understand the weight of this, we have to look at the context. In ancient Israel, the corn (grain) and wine harvest represented the absolute peak of economic security. It meant the barns were full, the trade was good, and the future looked bright. It was the equivalent of a booming stock market and a fully funded retirement account. It was a worldly high.

But notice what David says: “Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.”

David is identifying a spiritual paradox that the world cannot understand. His joy was not dependent on the “corn and wine”—the external circumstances or the material wealth. His joy was internal, rooted in his relationship with Jehovah.

The world sells us the idea that peace comes from financial security or acquiring the “next big thing”. They tell us that if we just have enough saved, enough bought, and enough stored away, we can rest. But we know that money is a fleeting defense. The Bible warns us that riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven (Proverbs 23:5).

True gladness—the kind that anchors the soul—isn’t found in a full fridge or a pile of presents under the tree; it is found in a full soul. It is found in knowing that your salvation is settled.

When you know for a fact that you are adopted into the family of God, your eternity is locked in. That creates a security that “corn and wine” can never provide.

Advent’s Real Kickoff (It’s Not the Calendar Flip)

We tend to think the Christmas season begins when we flip the calendar to December or when the mall Santa shows up. But spiritually, there is an unofficial bridge between the gratitude of Thanksgiving and the anticipation of Christmas. That bridge is peace.

We are moving toward the celebration of the birth of Christ. Isaiah 9:6 gives us the job description of the Messiah:

“For unto us a child is born… and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

“Prince of Peace” isn’t just a tagline for a Hallmark card. It is the very essence of His rule. It is the job description of the Savior who came to reconcile a lost world to a holy God.

Look back at Psalm 4:8: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep.”

David could sleep in peace—even when surrounded by enemies, even when Absalom was hunting him, even when the nation was in turmoil—because his safety came from the Lord alone.

This deep, restful sleep connects directly to the manger. Why did Christ come? He came so that we, who were enemies of God, could be at peace with Him.

Jesus warned us in John 16:33: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

We are living in a world that is getting darker. Spiritual attacks seem to come from every angle, and the culture pushes deeper levels of depravity. The Advent season is about celebrating the arrival of the One who secures our souls against this darkness. It’s about recognizing that while the world offers the fear of missing out (FOMO) and anxiety about the future, God offers power, love, and a sound mind.

If your “Christmas Spirit” is defined by stress, rushing, and financial worry, you have missed the Prince of Peace.

The Peace Filter: Philippians 4:7

If we are going to rescue this season from the mall and return it to the manger, we need a filter for our decision-making. The Apostle Paul gives us the perfect one in Philippians 4:7:

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

“Passeth all understanding.” That phrase is critical. It means this peace doesn’t make logical sense to the natural man. Standing in a checkout line on Black Friday, fighting over a discounted TV, is the logic of the world. Stressing yourself into debt to impress relatives you see once a year is the logic of the world.

But the peace of God defies that logic. It allows you to be calm when the bank account is low. It allows you to be gracious when the relative is rude. It allows you to sleep when the world is burning.

The Application Loop:

This December, I want you to try something radical. Apply the “Peace Filter” to every single item on your holiday to-do list.

• Does buying this gift keep my heart in Christ? Or does it put me in stressful debt that will hinder my stewardship in January?
• Does attending this third holiday party this week keep my mind on Jesus? Or does it breed exhaustion, resentment, and take me away from my nightly prayer time?
• Does this tradition point my family to the Prince of Peace? Or does it just add noise and clutter to our lives?

If it doesn’t pass the peace filter, you need to be willing to cut it. We are on a war footing in this world. A soldier does not carry unnecessary baggage into battle. Do not carry unnecessary traditions into this spiritual season if they weigh down your soul.

Culture’s Hijack: Stress in Tinsel

The culture has hijacked this season. They have taken a time meant for “quiet gladness” and turned it into a marathon of anxiety. The enemy loves to keep us distracted, because a distracted Christian is a disarmed Christian. You can see the symptoms everywhere, and if we aren’t careful, they infect our Christian homes too.

1. Debt Creep

The pressure to overspend is immense. We buy things we can’t afford to impress people who don’t care. But we must remember that our resources belong to God. We are called to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Racking up consumer debt is a shackle. It hinders your ability to give to missions, to help the poor, and to serve God faithfully later. Inflation is high, yes, but debt is a voluntary cage.

2. The FOMO Event Cycle

Fear of Missing Out is a primary sales tactic of the world. You feel like you have to go to the light show, the cookie exchange, the parade, and the office party. But a calendar cluttered with activity often leads to a heart cluttered with anxiety. We cannot forget Hebrews 10:25—we need fellowship—but there is a difference between biblical fellowship and social obligation. One strengthens you; the other drains you.

3. The Expectation of Amazon Miracles

Our kids are being trained by commercials and algorithms to expect miracles from Amazon boxes. They begin to believe that joy comes from getting. But we know the truth: the happiest people aren’t chasing their own dreams or accumulations; they are the ones pouring into others. If we teach our children that Christmas is about the size of the pile, we are setting them up for a lifetime of spiritual emptiness.

Contrast this modern frenzy with David’s sleep in Psalm 4. The commercial noise is designed to keep you awake, alert, and buying. It drowns out the lullaby of spiritual safety. The world says, “Buy this to be safe/happy/loved.” God says, “You are already safe/happy/loved in Me.”

Reclaiming the Season, Step-by-Step

So, how do we push back? How do we actually live this out in a practical way? We have to be intentional. To stand strong, we need to be battle-ready every single day.

1. Morning Quiet: The First Five Minutes

You cannot battle the noise of the day if you haven’t tuned your heart to God’s frequency first. Before you check your phone for shipping notifications or emails, give the first five minutes to God. Read Psalm 4. Pray for a “sound mind”. A vibrant daily prayer life isn’t optional—it’s your lifeline. If you start your day with the world’s news, you will start with fear. If you start with the Good News, you start with power.

2. The Gift Pivot

Instead of a gadget that will break by January 3rd, what if you gave gifts that carry eternal weight? We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Let your gift-giving reflect that.

• Write a handmade note quoting Isaiah 9:6.
• Give a promise of time spent together—because fellowship strengthens us.
• Use your skills—baking, fixing, building—to bless someone, rather than just buying something plastic.

3. Event Triage

This is where you have to be brave. Look at your calendar. Cancel three things. Yes, three. Then, add one thing that is service-oriented.

• Instead of the cousin’s ugly-sweater bash, go caroling at a nursing home.
• Instead of an expensive night out, volunteer to clean up at your church or serve a meal.
• Help a neighbor who is struggling with the inflation we talked about earlier.

Why? Because focusing on someone else’s needs takes the spotlight off your own troubles. When you serve faithfully, you look more like Jesus than at any other time.

4. The “Price of Salvation” Mindset

When you see inflation hitting the price of milk or gas, let it be a trigger for gratitude rather than grumbling. Remind yourself: “The price of eggs is up, but the price of salvation is zero.”

God loved you so much that He literally moved heaven and earth and sent His own Son to die in our place to make it happen. Let inflation laugh; you have an inheritance that inflation cannot touch.

Practical Tools for a Peaceful Home

We want to give you “bullet-proof” ways to implement this “Quiet Gladness” in your home this month. These aren’t just ideas; they are disciplines.

• The Advent Chain of Gratitude:
  Create a paper chain for the countdown to Christmas. But instead of just ripping a link off to count the days, write a reason for gratitude on it.
  • Day 1: I sleep safe because He is my shield (Psalm 4:8).
  • Day 2: My salvation is secure and cannot be undone.
  • Day 3: I have the Word of God to light my path (Psalm 119:105).
    Gratitude is a spiritual weapon. Use it daily.

• The “10 Items or Less” Rule:
  Limit the kids’ wishlists. If they write a list of 50 things, the focus is entirely on consumption. Cap it at ten. And make a rule: the top three items must be experiences or things we do together. Shift the value from stuff to relationship. Help them see that “corn and wine” isn’t the source of joy.

• Lights-Off Curfew (The Analog Hour):
  Set a time—maybe 8:00 PM. Once the Christmas tree lights are the only lights on in the room, the house goes analog. No phones. No tablets. No “midnight Amazon urges.”
  Just music, Scripture, conversation, or silence.
  We are living in a world drowning in distractions, and ungodly counsel creeps in through our devices. You need to disconnect from the digital world to reconnect with the Spirit. Use this time to meditate on God’s law, chewing on it like we learned in Psalm 1.

Wrap with Quiet Fire

We return to David’s bed in Psalm 4:8: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep.”

In modern terms, David is saying: “I’m going to log off, I’m going to log in to God’s promises, and I’m going to crash, knowing Jesus has already paid the full price for my soul.”

There is a battle for your attention and your affection this month. The world wants you frazzled, broke, and distracted. The enemy wants you to feel like a “wild branch” again, isolated and afraid. But you have been grafted in. You are part of the tree. You are held by the Root.

The real miracle of this season isn’t a doorbuster deal. It’s the fact that while inflation rises, grace never does. The cost was settled at the Cross. The “corn and wine” may fail, but the “Light of the World” never flickers.

If you haven’t settled that yet—if you don’t have that assurance—that is the first step. You can’t have the peace of God without peace with God. You must admit you are a sinner, believe in Jesus, and confess Him as Lord. Do not gamble with eternity.

But if you are saved, then live like it. Sleep like it. Let the world panic over corn and wine. You have the Bread of Life.

Stand strong today. Lean on Him when the arrows fly. And as you lay down tonight, let your sleep be a testimony to a watching world that your safety comes from the Lord alone.