Advent Reflection Two

Hi, friends! I hope you're doing well. Christmas is just around the corner!

I've had trouble deciding what to share with you today. I woke up this morning feeling a little tired and weak. It occurred to me, though, that this too is part of Advent. Advent is about waiting for Jesus to come, and weariness is often part of waiting.

Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed, scared, misunderstood, or even find yourself wondering if you should just give up on everything you've been believing for. Maybe you worry you've gotten it all wrong, and the things you've poured your heart, soul, and tears into have been a waste of time. If you've experienced anything like this, I want you to know that you're not alone. I've felt it too. And while I can't fully know the depths of your specific pain, I want to encourage you to hang in there. I don't know much, but I believe Jesus is good, and He is the Redeemer of everything. Even when we do mess up, He responds with extravagant Grace.

As this Advent/waiting season draws to a close, I find myself being reminded more than anything to look to Jesus. This is a phrase that gets used often, and there have been many time when I've wondered what it really means. I'm still not completely sure. But for me, it often looks like reading Scripture (even when I don't feel like it), praying while going on walks, and admitting my struggles to God. Other times it looks like sitting quietly, enjoying beautiful art, or talking with a wise friend or family member who can remind me of the truth. There have been times in my life when I've had powerful encounters with God that have made it easy to love Him. But many times, in the in-between, I need a little help remembering that He's the center of this Story.

The incredible thing is, there's good news at the end of all this. Thousands of years ago, Jesus entered the world as a baby, and someday soon, He's coming back to restore our broken world. When that happens, our waiting will be permanately over. Every unquenchable longing will be satified, and, in the words of the Jesus Storybook Bible, "everything sad will come untrue". Until then, our job is to live one day at a time, learning little by little what it looks like to follow Jesus and love Him, others, and ourselves well.

Sorry, I know this is a lot. I hope some of it is meaningful to you, though. As always, I'm praying for you, and hope you have a wonderful holiday season.❤️