What Happens After Death and What Christmas Has To Do With It

Audio By Carbonatix

By Tricia Goyer

Every year when the decorations come out, I brace myself for the mix of emotions. There is the joy of the twinkling lights and the excitement of a family gathering, but there is also the question that hangs in the air when we look at the empty chairs around the table: Where are they now?

We often ask what happens after death, especially when the holidays roll around and the silence of our loved ones feels loudest. But over the years, as I’ve said goodbye to the people I love most, I’ve learned that the baby in the manger has everything to do with what happens after we take our last breath.

The View from the Edge of Eternity

I remember sitting with my grandpa, “Papa,” in his final days. I had the privilege of caring for him in our home for the last four months of his life. It was a holy season, challenging but beautiful.

One afternoon, Papa was looking out the window, and he began to point. He said, “Look at that… If I were an artist, I would love to paint that. Look at those white doves. Look at that lion.”

My grandma and I looked, but we saw only the backyard. Papa, however, was seeing something else entirely. He began to praise God, tears running down his face, lifting his hands in worship. He told us he saw Jesus waiting for him.

It was a miracle and a gift. In that moment, the veil between this world and the next was so thin I could almost feel the brush of angel wings. Papa wasn’t just dying; he was transitioning. He was preparing to meet the One whose birth we celebrate every December.

The Silence in the Next Room

More recently, I’ve walked this journey with my grandma. For years, she lived in the room right next to mine. I used to fall asleep to the sound of her praying aloud for our family. When she passed, the silence in that room was deafening.

For a while, I found myself walking toward her door to check on her, only to remember she isn’t there. I miss her joy over simple things—how she would look at a full table and say, “It’s a Sunday dinner on a Tuesday night!”

But even in the ache of her absence, I am reminded that grief is not the end of the story. Because of Jesus, my grandma isn’t “gone” in the sense of being lost. She is more alive than she has ever been. She is with Jesus, whom she prayed to every night.

What Christmas Has To Do With It

This is where the Christmas story changes everything about death.

It is easy to get stuck at the manger—to focus on the sweet baby, the shepherds, and the “silent night.” But we cannot forget why He came. Jesus didn’t come just to give us a holiday; He came to defeat death.

The mission that began in the cradle was completed at the cross and the empty tomb. The greatest gift of Christmas isn’t one we open under the tree; it is the one we will “unwrap” when we step into eternity. It is the gift of salvation and the promise of reunion.

More Than Religion—It’s a Relationship

You might be reading this and wondering, How do I know I’ll see them again? or Do I have to earn my way there?

Here is the beautiful truth I want you to hear today: Eternal life isn’t about checking boxes. It’s not about how many times you go to church, how much money you give, or even about doing all the “right things.” You cannot behave your way into heaven, and you don’t have to clean yourself up before you come to God.

Salvation is about a relationship.

God didn’t send a rulebook to the manager; He sent a Person. He sent His Son so that we could know Him. Accepting Jesus simply opens the door of your heart and invites Him in. It is acknowledging that we are broken and need a Savior.

If you want that assurance—if you want to know that death is not the end—you can start that relationship right now, right where you are. You can simply pray:

“Dear Jesus, I know I’m a sinner, and I can’t save myself. I believe You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins and rose from the grave to defeat death. I don’t want to do life alone anymore. I open my heart to You. Forgive me, come into my life, and help me to know You. Thank You for the gift of eternal life.”

If you prayed that, you have received the greatest Christmas gift of all. You aren’t just following a religion; you have entered into a relationship with the Living God.

Holding On to Hope

If you are walking through grief this Christmas, I want to encourage you with this:

• It’s okay to cry. The tears are evidence of a great love. Even Jesus wept.
• Look for the legacy. My grandma’s prayers still shape my life. My grandpa’s vision of heaven still gives me courage. What legacy did your loved one leave that you can carry forward?
• Trust the Promise. The baby born in Bethlehem is the King who prepares a place for us.

We ache because we love, but we hope because He lives. This Christmas, let the empty chair remind you not just of the loss, but of the reunion that is coming. The best gift is yet to come.

A Simple Way to Begin 2026 with God

If you’re ready to start (or restart) a daily Bible habit but feel overwhelmed about where to begin, I want to share the tool that has helped me stay grounded year after year. The One Year Bible for Women and The One Year Bible for Men make Scripture simple, accessible, and genuinely doable, especially on the busy days when you need the Bible the most.

Each daily reading includes:

• A portion from the Old Testament
• A portion from the New Testament
• A Psalm
• A Proverb
• Plus a short, heartfelt devotional written specifically with you in mind
  

You don’t have to plan anything or guess where to read next—you just open to today’s date and start. It’s the same rhythm that helped shape my spiritual life, renew my mind, and carry me through some of the hardest seasons of motherhood, marriage, and ministry.

If you want a Bible that meets you where you are but doesn’t leave you where it found you, this is it.

Whether you’re beginning your Bible-reading journey or returning to it with new hope, these are beautiful tools to help you stay rooted—day after day, verse after verse.

And who knows? That simple habit you start today may be the very thing God uses to rewire your brain, strengthen your faith, and shape your story for years to come.

“God’s Word doesn’t just inform you—it transforms you.”

Go Deeper: Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer

If this post inspired you, grab Walk It Out—Tricia’s book about discovering how God’s Word becomes the map for your daily life.

Inside, you’ll find:

• How to move from reading Scripture to living it
  
• Stories of modern obedience that bring the Bible to life
  
• Practical steps for aligning your plans with God’s purposes
  
• Encouragement to walk out your faith—one small yes at a time

The Daily Bible Podcast

• 🎧 Listen: Daily Bible Podcast for encouragement as you start your day
  
• 💬 Join: Daily Bible Podcast Facebook Group for daily Bible discussion & community