ADVENT HOPE: FROM LANGUISHING TO LINGERING

HOPE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR WAITING
Monday, November 28th

Languishing: to be or live in a state of depression or decreasing vitality; to become dispirited

Lingering: to be slow in parting or quitting something; to move slowly

Advent can be a festive season of waiting with happy expectation for our Christmas celebrations! We enjoy lingering in the tender moments of preparation, as we lovingly prepare our homes or make travel arrangements to gather with loved ones, plan worship celebrations and holiday parties, and anticipate blessing others with gifts of hospitality and generosity.

But Advent can also be a season of waiting with pain, sorrow, or worry. We find ourselves languishing in long and dreary days as we wait for a better outcome, yearn for a moment of comfort, search for a relief from struggle. As we endure these trying times, the usual joys of Advent waiting are set aside.

How might Advent Hope make the difference in our waiting?

The hope we have in Christ can move us from languishing into lingering.

Oh, we might still lament, grieve, rant, anguish. God does not expect us to put on a brave face, pretend all is well, or smile away our sadness. But we are invited to linger in the Advent Hope that was revealed long ago with the birth of Jesus: God in Christ has come to us and remains with us. This Advent Hope is here to comfort us, heal us, and help us. This Advent Hope is hearing our prayers, sustaining our souls, carrying us forward to better days.

The gift of Advent Hope is here for us now; God in Christ still lingers among us. And we can linger with God – in prayer, in silence, in worship, in song. We can linger by lighting a candle, reading a passage, writing our thoughts. We can linger with the hope of Christ tucked in our hearts as we face the day and all that it may bring.

When we are languishing in life, we can linger in Love.

While we wait for Christmas, we can wait with the Advent Hope given to us through the promised presence of Christ, the Hope that will transform our languishing into lingering.

Our soul waits for the Lord;
    he is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in him
    because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.

(Psalm 33:20-22 NRSVUE)

Definitions found at https://www.merriam-webster.com/
Bible passage found at https://www.biblegateway.com/
Photo by Karen

I was also inspired by the article, https://healthyspirituality.org/languishing-and-lingering-lessons for this post.