Advent: A Call to Return to the Light

“Let us cast aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light…”

- Romans 13:12

The season of Advent lasts only four weeks, and already one week is almost gone. As the days darken, we light candles and pray for the light to come into the world. We wait for Jesus to come, not only to remember Jesus’ birth, but we wait for him to come again. During this season of waiting, the Scriptures tell us to set aside the darkness and search for the light.

I have been thinking a lot about how to identify the darkness. It is a spiritual question. How do we discern when we are being drawn into darkness and how can we turn to the light? Here are some thoughts I have had…

• When you are tempted to do something in hiding, be careful. If you are keeping secrets from your loved ones, watch out. The darkness loves for you to hide and wants for you to feel ashamed.
• The darkness wants us to be spiritually asleep, to be unaware of ourselves or others. Being too busy puts you to sleep so be careful. If you find you are getting too busy, carve out brief moments of solitude or silence to ask yourself, “Am I awake to God’s purpose in my life?”
• Be sure to give generously. The darkness works primarily through self-absorption and giving to others pulls you out of yourself.
• Don’t be too focused on your own happiness. The point of life is not to feel something but to be of service to God.
• Remember that this season is about the miracle of God’s love for you and that love comes to you even when things are messy and don’t turn out as you hoped they would. Christmas is not supposed to be perfect; it is supposed to be holy because God came to live as one of us.

I pray you will be able to cast aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light during this beautiful season.

May God bless you.

In Christ’s love,

Kate+