When You Cannot Give More

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This Christmas I am holding space for a tender question many of us carry, especially families. What do we do when we cannot give all that we long to give? I return again and again to Jesus’ gentle assurance, “your Father knows you have need of these things,” and I feel the compassion in that truth. God understands our material needs, walks with us through seasons of scarcity, and asks us not to fear.
The deeper invitation is quieter. What gifts actually stay with us? I think of a small potholder my daughter stitched years ago, tiny boats sewn with care, and how it meant more to me than a thousand dollars ever could. Presence does that. Love does that. Swedenborg reminds us that heaven flows into simple uses done from affection, and I see that clearly here. We give what we have to give in this moment. A kind note. A shared meal. Pizza or Chinese food. Laughter after Christmas instead of before. These are holy exchanges. The art of subtraction matters. As wanting less loosens its grip, connection grows stronger.
So if you are facing a Christmas that feels thin on resources, hear this clearly. You can still give a lot. Relationship. Compassion. Deep love. In the end, those gifts mean more and more, while everything else quietly fades.