Cup by Cup: Finding Peace in Advent

Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness;

make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

Every valley will be lifted up,

                                          and every mountain and hill will be leveled;

the uneven ground will become smooth

and the rough places, a plain.

Isaiah 40 3-4 CSB

            Does your family celebrate Advent? Do you partake in the rituals of the wreath, candles, prayers, waiting, anticipating, and looking forward with joyful hope? If you are unfamiliar with the season and practice of Advent let me share with you a bit of an overview. Advent takes place the four weeks prior to Christmas always ending on Dec. 24th. The time of Advent is used to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. This could mean we are preparing for the birth of Christ which is celebrated on Christmas day or/and the second coming of Christ which we are to anticipate and wait for eagerly. It’s a beautiful time of year to joyfully prepare to receive God’s gift of Christmas.

Advent is the time to remember the promises God made to His people and the great promises He gave to Abraham and David. It is a moment to celebrate the incarnation of God as the baby Jesus. And it is a time to wait, in anticipation, for Jesus to return to take away all the pain, suffering, discomfort and ugliness that is around today. You can imagine how great this day will be if you truly enjoy celebrating Jesus’ birth, this second coming will be even more magical.

As I sit with my favorite mug of coffee and think about this season and the smiles of my grandkids, the sparkling lights, the tree, the food, celebrating with friends, I also consider the struggles. They don’t go away during Advent season; they will only disappear when Christ comes back. It can be very difficult to attend to the joys that Christmas brings when we are struggling with just living. When life, right now, is difficult, how can we celebrate a birth that happened so long ago and rejoice in the coming of Christ when right now is so daunting?

It can be difficult to put our hope in these unseen promises when all we are able to see as "real" are the bills we can’t pay. The gifts our children ask for that we know we can’t afford. The job that doesn’t pay enough, the sickness devouring our spouse, the roof that leaks, and the car that won’t start. How is Advent a time to rejoice in hope when it seems there isn’t any?

But Advent can touch these realities. Advent allows us to know there is a God who understands our situation and plans on making it right. This may not happen today, when you feel you need it the most, but with God we can have a hope that we will overcome. When God came near as a baby, He promised everything would be different. He is the one who will send the help you need this season when you have faith and ask for help. I don’t know what this will look like, but faith will bring you the peace to wait for it.

Advent allows you to be in sorrow for the loss of a loved one because God knows you are feeling alone. He allows you to not feel the joy of the holiday and will give you the courage to speak this out loud to others who may not understand. Advent allows us to sit in our sorrow and wait for a better time to celebrate. Advent allows us to see we have a need and to express it to others and take comfort in opportunities to use those around us to help. It allows us to cry out to organizations who can provide for our families what we cannot. Advent will not bring condemnation and guilt; it will only provide hope because that is what the coming of Christ does.

Whether you are spending this Advent season in joy and hope or a time of great sorrow, God provides exactly what we need. He will lift up every valley and lay low every hill and rough ground will be smoothed (Isaiah 40 3-4). Use this time of remembering the baby and waiting for Christ to come again, as a time to show God how thankful you are for His mighty gifts and promises for tomorrow.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, this season can be so joyful or extremely lonely, but with You I know that all will be made right in the end. Help me to see You in all of it and to exclaim Your glory and call out to You in need. I praise you for being a God of goodness Who understands every feeling I have.

Today’s Challenge

Write God a letter letting Him know exactly how you feel this season. Allow His glory to fill you with hope and joy no matter what situation you might be facing.