Being Faithful Doesn’t Mean Carrying Everyone’s Expectations

A Pastor Reacts Reflection on The Santa Clause

The holidays have a way of sneaking up on us.

Not just with busyness—but with expectations.

Family expectations.

Work expectations.

Relationship expectations.

Even expectations we quietly place on ourselves.

What often gets labeled as “holiday stress” isn’t chaos at all. It’s an accumulation of expectations. One responsibility added to another, until the weight becomes hard to name. We can even feel guilty about putting any of it down - that's unhealthy.

That’s why the movie The Santa Clause resonates with so many people—even decades after it was released.

Scott Isn’t Doing Anything Wrong

He’s Just Carrying Too Much

When you watch Scott Calvin’s journey, what stands out isn’t irresponsibility or selfishness. It’s pressure.

Everyone needs something from him.

His son.

His job.

The elves.

The entire world, apparently (he needs to be Santa).

And every time a need shows up, Scott absorbs it.

None of those needs are bad.

None of them are unreasonable on their own.

But together, they become heavy.

That’s often how overwhelm works in real life too. Not because we don’t care—but because we care deeply, and everything lands on the same shoulders.

When Faithfulness Gets Confused with Availability

Many of us were taught—directly or indirectly—that being faithful means being available to everyone, all the time.

If you say no, you’re letting someone down.

If you step back, you’re failing.

If you rest, you’re being selfish.

So we keep saying yes.

We keep stretching.

We keep carrying.

But the movie shows us the cost of that confusion.

Scott never asks an important question:

What am I actually meant to carry—and what am I just afraid to put down?

Without that clarity, responsibility begins to change him. The weight starts stealing his peace, his presence, and eventually his joy.

That’s usually the signal for us too.

Jesus and the Wisdom of Limits

One of the most comforting things about Jesus—especially for people who feel stretched thin—is how clearly He understood His mission.

People constantly pulled at Him.

Needs were everywhere.

Expectations followed Him from town to town.

And yet, He stepped away. He found time alone.

Not because He didn’t love people.

But because love and serving others without boundaries eventually collapses.

Jesus shows us that boundaries aren’t a failure of compassion. They’re often what protect it.

A Gentler Way to Carry This Season

If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, it doesn’t mean you’re failing.

It may simply mean you’re carrying things that were never yours to begin with.

Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do isn’t adding one more obligation—it’s letting something go so you can remain present for what actually matters.

You don’t have to save Christmas.

You don’t have to meet every expectation.

You’re allowed to be faithful and human.

Peace was never meant to be earned by exhaustion.

Watch the Pastor Reacts Video: Being Faithful Doesn't Mean Carrying Everything

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