It's easy to get so caught up in the hustle of the holidays that we lose sight of the true gift that is coming at Christmas. Concerns about schedules, checking our lists, and making ends meet occupy our minds, causing tension, stress and inner conflict that obscure our vision and prevent our seeing God's ever-present blessings.
This week's readings invite you to push back from those external distractions that tend to erode our spirits and to focus with awareness on the sweet, soulful signs of God's movement in and through us.
May the peace of Christ be with you now and always~
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When Blessing Comes
"For those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit." —I Peter 3:10
Waking to a new day is a gift—feeling the life that God has given us, knowing the possibilities that are before us, even if we do not have all that we want. The truth is, we always have the opportunity to make new choices.
If a sense of unfairness weighs on us so heavily that we find ourselves sharing misery rather than hopefulness, we can lighten our load by becoming still within and asking God to give us the wisdom to discern other options waiting to be discovered.
We may find that if we speak some words of blessing, we will see blessing when it comes to us.
Gracious God, let hopefulness and possibility lead me to the blessings you have for me.
Going Inward
Gracious God,
As the roots of a tree spread out in darkest soil, let me spread out into the darkness of my own life to see what is nourishing me there. Remind me that there is nothing to fear when I face myself squarely, for always in the mystery of my own being, the tracks of your love are visible. Amen.
Perhaps Advent seems outmoded, even ancient and irrelevant for the 21st century. Yet, what is not outmoded, ancient, or irrelevant is that God comes, comes, ever comes. When we take the time to wait, we become aware of that presence. Stress, tension, conflict, inner disparities find a centering point in that presence, and life becomes fuller and deeper.
