Advent is defined by Oxford Languages on Google as the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. It goes on further to say the coming or second coming of Christ. So, as followers of Jesus, advent gives us space to anticipate or await the arrival of our Savior—both His first arrival and the one to come.
If you traditionally follow advent, you will celebrate and light candles for hope, peace, joy, and love in the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas. In this time, you prepare your heart and mind for the Christmas celebration of Jesus’ birth as well as His return.
Whether advent is honored corporately utilizing liturgy or honored in one’s heart and mind individually, this act of intentional waiting draws us to God.
Being in Jesus doesn’t mean that we ignore what’s happening around us. It doesn’t mean that we won’t have pain. It simply helps us view it all through an eternal lens of hope.
Advent: Jesus Is Hope
When we take time to focus on Jesus and remember what it is He has done for us and what He has promised, we live in the hope of His arrival with peace, joy, and love in our hearts. You see, everything surrounding each of us right now is really loud. Or maybe it’s an internal noise you experience by yourself.
And when we let the noise creep in, we tend to become consumed by what we’re hearing and may be distracted from what we know to always be true.
At times, we may even work to tune out the chaos through other means of silencing or ignorance even.
You see, we should be informed about what is taking place in the world. I think it’s important to know what’s happening. And we have to be attentive to the things happening at our jobs and in our homes and in our lives.
But the degree to which we allow the outside to consume us can easily take over the truth of the Word of God. The truth that, as followers of Jesus, we are promised the Holy Spirit who will lead us in all things. The truth that we are to shine His light to the world.
It’s really hard to shine His light when we let ourselves be consumed by darkness.
Hold Onto God and His Promises
And what I mean by that is we must first and foremost hold onto the promises of God and spend time with Him. We must spend time in His Word and in His presence through worship and prayer.
As we read His Word, we become encouraged by all that He is and all that He offers. Just a few examples:
- Jesus is with us always. (Matthew 28:20)
- Look up for your redemption is drawing near. (Luke 21:28)
- Think on the things of God, whatever is good and pure. (Philippians 4:8)
- He is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)
- He is our good shepherd. (John 10:11-18)
You see, I’m not sure that we were ever meant to consume the atrocities that fill our social media and news feeds these days. It’s overwhelming and can cause us to freeze. It’s oftentimes one-sided, too graphic, and a narrow shot of a larger picture.
However, when we take in His Word and focus on Him, we can handle the rest. We are set up to guard our hearts and minds in the ways that we need to (Proverbs 4:23).
Celebrate Advent with Ornaments and Coloring
Celebrate Advent with Ornaments and Coloring
Celebrate Advent with Ornaments and Coloring
Advent Quiets the Noise
So, what advent does for us, when we take the time to focus in, is it quiets the noise. The noise is still happening, it doesn’t stop. In fact, it might even get louder. But it’s quieted in our souls by the anticipation of the coming of our King Jesus. It’s quieted by the hope and truth found in God.
It is stilled at the mention of His name, at the hope of His rescue, and in the love that He offers.
Is there suffering? Yes. Will we mourn? Yes. Do heartache and pain and grief still exist? Yes. But in Jesus, we can do all things (Philippians 4:13). We can handle hardships, we can take on suffering, and we can mourn with hope.
Being in Jesus doesn’t mean that we ignore what’s happening around us. It doesn’t mean that we won’t have pain. It simply helps us view it all through an eternal lens of hope.
Why? Because we know that the Life-Giver, Conqueror, and soon-coming King Jesus came for us once with freedom and will come again in eternal victory.
Let’s lean in this advent season. And as we take the time to draw near to God, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). He’s just that good. So good, in fact, that He always keeps His Word.
May our hearts be encouraged as we encourage ourselves in Him. May His peace surround us. And may we be a bold, bright city on a hill that cannot be hidden.
Changing Our Posture
All this to say, maybe it’s time that advent becomes a daily posture—not just a posture to take in this Christmas season but throughout the year to come. Maybe it’s time that we live with a Maranatha mindset.
Maybe as we labor, we should stay focused on Christ and His Word and His will. And maybe as we build our ministries and homes and families, we should do so in a manner that’s waiting on and awaiting our Savior.
And as we take more time seeking and less time doom scrolling and consuming constant catastrophe and internally replaying our mistakes … may our hearts be encouraged as we encourage ourselves in Him. May His peace surround us. And may we be a bold, bright city on a hill that cannot be hidden.
Let your light shine, my friends. And don’t be consumed by the things of this world but live in hopeful anticipation of the promises and arrival of our King Jesus.
He is with you, and He is for you.
More From Courtney
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