Advent in July

The past year and a half I have felt as if I were perpetually waiting. I have been working on moving in a new direction, career wise, and that kind of thing requires time. In my case, a year and a half to be exact. During this time I diligently took an online course that took longer than advertised and was littered with technical woes. Thus began my own advent, my own anticipation of the the ‘good’ that was surely on its way.

But life changed, not just for me and my family, but for humanity at large. Enter COVID-19. Suddenly I found myself waiting on the news agencies to update us on the crisis. I began waiting in lines at the local grocery stores to purchase essential items (Read Toilet Paper). I began waiting to hear the status of the hospital system my husband worked for, eager to know of his safety.

As a few weeks turned into a few months my waiting continued. Now I find myself waiting on government assistance. I am waiting on landing a job in my new career field. I am waiting for extracurricular activities to begin again, especially those beloved by my children. I am waiting for some semblance of the world I knew before the pandemic.

I think a lot of us find ourselves in this state of constant waiting. We are yearning for a return to our formal way of life before “Safer at Home” government mandates, Lysol cleaning product shortages, and face masks.

And so it is, that while meditating upon even further personal items on my wait list that I realized the irony of Christmas in July. How had I overlooked this? Those dedicated Hallmark Channel fans know what I’m talking about. This is July after all. We are allowed and encouraged to spend the month revisiting classic holiday films in eager anticipation of the coming season.

Putting it into a more spiritual context, I have been living the season of Advent for quite a while. I have been and continue to anticipate something better in my life. I long for what is to come beyond our current pandemic-riddled world. Just as the world longed for a Savior and holy men and women anticipated His coming, I am reminded of how that story ends. The long-awaited Savior enters our world and redeems us all. Because of Him we have hope and with hope we can persevere.

Friends, if you find yourself in a season of waiting know that you are not alone. Know that God is with you and that because of His son, our Savior, we have hope. Trust in that gift and know that we are promised that ‘something better’ on the other side. For now, as we wait, let us pray for patience, guidance, and trust.

May the Holy Spirit deepen our faith and hope in Christ. May our longings for the things of this world never surpass the longing to share eternity with our God in Heaven.

Blessings to You and Yours!