Simply Soul Searching
HOW IS GOD LOVING ME – AND WHERE IS GOD LEADING ME?
9. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: JOY IN CHRIST
Sunday, December 15th
(For my spiritual practice in this week of Joy, I plan to sit and savor a refreshing glass of sparkling water or a mug of hot tea each afternoon.)
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)
Perhaps we choose Christ because we see doing so as the right way. We want to do the right thing and be the right kind of people. What does Jesus want? Our joy. Our experience of an abundant, fulfilling life. Becoming better people is merely a byproduct of dwelling in the love of God. 1 ~ Vanita Hampton Wright
What a gift this is, what a relief it is, to know that Jesus wants us to have a life that is abundant and full of joy. So often, I get the order reversed. I desire to please and obey God so that I will receive God’s joy and mercy, when the reality is that God’s joy and mercy come to me first–so I then can live my life in joyful trust with God’s continuing guidance. My life of discipleship is a “byproduct of dwelling in the love of God.”
Jesus also invites us to experience joy with his invitation in John 16: “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” In this topsy-turvy life, we are never left alone. We have God’s presence in Christ always with us, the presence that comforts, strengthens, guides, listens, and hears our every prayer.
We can even ask for joy itself. In his book, The Hidden Adventure, the late Tim Hansel shared a story about an 82-year-old pastor who struggled with painful skin cancer. After enduring fifteen operations, he was in chronic pain, and he was also embarrassed by the way his appearance had been scarred. One day, as he doubted Tim’s example of choosing joy despite his circumstances, he read in John 15:11 that joy is a gift from Christ: I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
“A gift!” he thought. He didn’t know what to do, so he got down on his knees. Then he didn’t know what to say, so he said, “Well then, Lord, give it to me.”
And suddenly, as he described it, this incredible hunk of joy came from heaven and landed on him.
“I was overwhelmed,” he wrote. “It was like the joy talked about in Peter, a ‘joy unspeakable and full of glory.’ ” And before he knew it, he was dancing around the house. 2
This week, may we keep the joy of Christ in our hearts, the joy we might have just for the asking.
1 Wright, Vanita Hampton. Small Simple Ways: An Ignatian Daybook for Healthy Spiritual Living. 2019 Loyola Press. (Page 147)
2 Hansel, Tim. The Hidden Adventure: The Remarkable Things Ordinary People Can Do When They Let God Use Them! Copyright (c) 1987, Guideposts Edition. (Originally published as Holy Sweat)
Photo by Karen
You might enjoy reading the rest of Tim Hansel’s excerpt:
He (the 82-year-old pastor) just had to get out. So much joy couldn’t stay cooped up. So he went out to the local fast-food restaurant and got a burger. A lady saw how happy he was, and asked, “How are you doing?”
He said, “Oh, I’m wonderful!”
“Is it your birthday?” she asked.
“No, honey, it’s better than that!”
“Your anniversary?“
“Better than that!”
“Well, what is it?” she asked excitedly.
“It’s the joy of Jesus. Do you know what I’m talking about?”
The lady shrugged and answered, “No, I have to work on Sundays.”
Isn’t that the way it is? We’ve limited the idea of an exciting Christianity to one day of the week! Yet this man was living proof that change can produce a joy that spreads out over all the days of our lives, and it can happen during any season or circumstance of life. (Page 59)
8. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: PEACE THROUGH DARKNESS
Friday, December 13th
One morning while journaling early in November, I had a sudden revelation: I am a different person now. Feelings of resignation and apathy overwhelmed me, as I questioned my usual ways of living, and as I wondered if I had made any good differences in the world. The moment was so powerful that I knew I had to withdraw and pay attention…
What has happened to my longtime sense of purpose? What usual ways of living or being do I need to surrender? What might God be calling me to do with this new awareness?
Feeling sad and unsettled, I pulled away from my normal routines and interactions. For a few weeks I read, journaled, prayed, walked, burned candles, left Facebook, and avoided news media. I was desperate to find a sense of peace, a way to quiet my soul, but darkness shadowed my days.
Then one quiet day I decided to have a small retreat. I began reading the book, The Dance of the Dissident Daughter (by Sue Monk Kidd) and journaling my thoughts. The author describes a time when she felt as if she was descending into a dark gorge as she, too, sensed a life-changing perspective and different, deeper purpose. Much of her story resonated with mine, but I was especially surprised to read these excerpts:
Descent is not about finding light but about going into the darkness and befriending it. If we remain there long enough, it takes on its own luminosity. It will reveal everything to us. (page 93)
There is deep wisdom in giving up the fight to make it go away… You are where you are. So be there… Just accept what is and be with it, really be with it, because when you do that, you are being in the moment, in the truth. You are being present as you live your life. (pages 96-97)
These words were exactly what I needed to hear and to hold. I am to stop struggling and searching for answers and instead, simply abide in this darkness and wait for illumination. I can look at this time of unknowing as a gift. The darkness is fertile ground, where new life is stirring within. I must be patient until the time is right, to rest and reflect until this new life is ready to sprout.
And with these new thoughts, the peace of Christ came over me.
If you are experiencing a similar darkness, I pray that you may be filled with the peace of Christ as you await its illumination.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
Isaiah 9:2 (NRSVUE)
(Photo by Karen)
7. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: PEACE OVER ANGER
Wednesday, December 11th
I once believed that anger was wrong, a shortcoming from not having the inner peace of Christ. Most likely this stems from the ways we sometimes observe anger being exhibited in life. We see anger displayed through temper tantrums, hurtful words, bitter retaliations, silent rejections, and in some cases, violent revenge. Sadly, these angry outbursts only lead to more heartache, frustration, resentment, woundedness, regret, and even deep grief.
But we know that anger can also be righteous. The online Collins Dictionary defines anger as “the strong emotion that you feel when you think that someone has behaved in an unfair, cruel, or unacceptable way.” Our anger can be a sacred response whenever we witness or experience these wrongs, and it can serve as an initiating emotion that prompts us to correct what needs to be corrected.
In a recent podcast interview (on “Need a Lift” with Tim Shriver, link below), I heard helpful wisdom about anger from peace activist Aziz Abu Sarah:
“When I watch the news every day, I am as (angry) as many of you probably are. But it’s about what we do with that anger. Anger is like a nuclear power. It either leads to destruction or it leads to light and electricity, and it’s our choice.”
As followers of Christ, how might our anger become a source of radiant light or useful power?
My counselor once told me that yes, for every action there is a reaction, but there is a pause between the two. And what we do with that pause can make the better difference.
We can center ourselves in God before we begin our day.
We can counter a wrong by doing something right or good.
We can keep silence until we find the right words to say.
We can ask questions to clarify, to determine that we have understood correctly.
We can offer a word of reconciliation or understanding when appropriate.
We can be critical of issues and actions over personalities or appearances.
We can protest, speak, or challenge cruel and unacceptable acts and policies.
We can promote, speak, or foster ways to bring about kindness and goodness.
We can support agencies who work for justice and equality.
We can regard every person as a beloved child of God.
By shining with the light of Christ or serving with the power of Christ, we are sharing the peace of Christ.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/israeli-and-palestinian-peace-activists-share-how/id1765227660?i=1000671532297
Photo by Karen; I found this nativity creche at a fair-trade shop. For me, it conveys God giving us this holy family to bring our peace, as well as a sense of being held by Infinite Love.
6. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: PEACE BEYOND COMMOTION
Photo by Alex Block on Unsplash
Monday, December 9th
Some of my favorite posts on Instagram are the tender videos that show children coming on stage with their classmates, preparing to sing before a crowded auditorium. A few nervously scan the audience, searching for parents or other loved ones through the noise and commotion as people find their seats. When they finally find their people, their sweet faces light up with an immediate look of relief, and their precious, teary-eyed smiles warm my heart.
This Advent season, we may long for quiet spaces in which to prepare our hearts for Christ, but the commotion around us increases and even overwhelms at times. Traffic becomes heavier, marketplaces become busier and noisier. Our schedules may be filled with holiday parties, religious services, seasonal concerts, or other special events. News headlines and social media posts continue to take our attention. Difficult relationships can bring angst as we gather with family and friends. Extra commitments on top of our regular responsibilities can quickly take up every open space of time.
When we are surrounded by commotion, chaos, or clamor, we can be like the child on the stage; we can turn our focus to the steadfast One who meets our gaze. As we plan and prepare, we can pray to the One we most long to please. Through all the demands and distractions, we can be grateful for the One who is patient and gracious. When we feel overwhelmed with nervous anticipation or self-doubt, we can seek the One who is quietly present for us.
The One who is smiling with love, just waiting to hear us sing.
5. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: PEACE IN CHRIST
Sunday, December 8th
(As we reflect on our peace in Christ this week, I plan to allow for small pauses throughout my day to think of Jesus as my peaceful presence.)
This week, what does it mean for us to find our Peace in Christ?
We can find our peace in the life of Jesus, from his wise and faithful perspectives shown through every encounter, instruction, trial, and good work. His complete trust in God’s merciful and gracious love helped him to live the life he lived–to endure the things he endured–and so his words ring true. I find his words in the Beatitudes especially reassuring, giving us a sense of God’s peace for the challenges and experiences we have in our life of faith. That he is not preaching from a comfortable throne in a luxurious palace makes these assurances truly beautiful and trustworthy; he is speaking on a hillside, among the poor and outcast, living a humble life.
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
(Matthew 5:1-12, NIV)
May we go in peace this week, remembering we are tenderly and dearly loved, trusting that God’s goodness will surround us to the very end.
4. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: HOPE WITH PERSEVERANCE
Friday, December 6th
“No matter how tall the mountain is, it cannot hide the sun.” (Chinese proverb)
When the angel announced to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus (in the biblical story of Luke), Mary could not know what the future would hold for her and her son. But she took the first faithful step—she answered the call to be part of God’s plan of hope for the world. Mary didn’t know how all this was going to work out, but she put her hope in God, who would be her help and guide throughout her life-long journey.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38 NIV)
Hope is more than passive waiting.
Hope is the obedient willingness to begin a journey without knowing where it will lead.
Hope is the timid courage to take the first step in faith.
Hope is the peaceful trust that we do not go alone.
Hope is the humble wisdom to check our location (are we on the right path?) and our direction (is our next step the better one?) as we continue onward.
Hope is the patient insight that we will need to rest, reflect, and recenter with our Guide at points along the way.
Our hope in Christ is not contingent on reaching desired destinations but in trusting the goodness of God. In our own calling to be part of God’s plan of hope for the world, life can be like an upward climb, with obstacles and challenges over difficult terrain. And yet, when we look to the top, the majestic vista beckons us on. We know the journey will be worth it, no matter how far we are able to climb, even if we cannot reach the summit. Because we know the Light will continue to shine; the Light that can never be fully hidden.
“In every winter’s heart there is a quivering spring, and behind the veil of each night there is a shining dawn.”
~ Khalil Gibran
(Photo by Karen)
3. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: HOPE AGAINST DESPAIR
“Heaven is a house with porch lights.” ~ Ray Bradbury
Wednesday, December 4th
This season, I know that many of us need the hope of God in Christ to lessen our feelings of despair.
As I reflected on my own despair, I found an enlightening post by Dr. Almut Furchert (Dr. phil., Dipl. Psych.), a German American scholar, practitioner, and writer (and more) who once lived behind the Iron Curtain. She explained how totalitarian systems of government are “built on the human capacity to despair. Arbitrary policies, raw displays of power, and flaunting of common courtesy are all designed to make us lose courage and hope. And frankly, in the face of the human condition today, the status quo of this world, it is easy to think there is nothing we can do.”1
Oh my… so creating despair can actually be a political strategy–and one we have certainly experienced in our recent U.S. election. Problems were exaggerated (and often untrue), fears were ignited, division was fueled, and blame was rampant. Now, as new threats and hateful words are boldly proclaimed, I begin to feel as if there is nothing I can do.
But I am gratefully encouraged by Dr. Furchert’s reminder from Søren Kierkegaard: “Create possibility, create possibility!… Then the desperate can breathe again…”
And possibility is Hope.
When we follow the ways of Jesus, we choose to live in defiance of all that comes against God’s love for the world. Our hope in Christ inspires new possibilities in ourselves and others. Our lives reflect a visible resistance to the wrongs before us, as every act of hope-filled kindness becomes an act of rebellion, every word of encouragement serves as a useful deterrent, and every reminder of steadfast goodness forms a quiet shield against the forces of despair–both within ourselves and in defense of others.
May our hope enable us to act courageously despite our fear. To walk calmly through the chaos. To speak openly for those who are silenced. To tend all of creation with spiritual wisdom. To help in ways where others refuse, for those whom others ignore. To “create possibility (so) the desperate can breathe again.”
To “turn our porch light on”… to shine through the darkness with love.
1 (4) Almut Furchert | Substack
(Photo by Karen)
2. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: HOPE AMID UNCERTAINTY
Monday, December 2nd
I often wonder—sometimes worry—what the future might bring. There is an ever-present, underlying uncertainty to life, isn’t there? No one knows what tomorrow will hold for us. We may enjoy good fortune or learn upsetting news… achieve a goal or face another obstacle… celebrate a win or mourn a loss… savor good health or struggle to survive. Life is filled with surprises, detours, victories, and devastations. I sometimes wish that every day could be regulated, every plan could be achieved, every dream could come true–or at least to know what the future holds so I can be better prepared to face it.
So, I was intrigued when I recently found this quote:
“Uncertainty is the refuge of hope.” ~ Henri Frederic Amiel
Amiel’s words are wise and comforting. Yes, we may hope on one day and be disappointed the next, but who knows what the third day might bring? Every uncertainty is a possibility for change. Every unknown tomorrow holds promise and potential. Our uncertainty can serve as an invitation to fill our present moments with goodness, to share this hope and encourage one another, and to ask God for insight and guidance… so that we might bring about a better and brighter tomorrow.
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)
As we wait and walk through every uncertainty, we can cling to the hope we have in Christ, our loving God who is with us always… the One who gives the hope of new mornings, second chances, fresh beginnings, daily resurrections, and eternal perspectives… the One who is our refuge for every trouble.
We may not know what is “just around the bend,” but Hope is lighting our way.
(Photo by Karen, near Meeks Mountain, Hurricane WV)
1. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: HOPE IN CHRIST
Sunday, December 1st
(You may appreciate having a small practice to serve as a daily reminder in this Advent time. As we reflect on our hope in Christ this week, I plan to light a candle and remember Jesus as our light of hope.)
As we begin this Advent week of Hope, what does it mean for us to first find our hope in Christ? How does Jesus—through his life and love—give us our reason for hope?
My thoughts immediately turn to his resurrection, of course, and the hope that comes in knowing that God’s love defeats even death. But I also find hope in the way Jesus lived his life. Even with the threats, scorn, sorrows, and hardships that he faced, he continued to trust in God’s infinite love. Jesus even assured his followers not to worry. “Look at the birds of the air… Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life?” * He not only heard the needs of others and helped and healed them, but he also promised that his helping and healing presence would be with us yet today.
In all of life, Jesus saw beyond what was; he understood his circumstances with a deeper peace and wisdom. He recognized there was something more to this ordinary and often difficult life, and he lived in this eternal hope.
And my greatest reason for this hope in Christ comes from those inexplicable moments when I sense surprising hope overwhelming me, an abiding hope that comes from beyond myself.
Let’s carry these hope-filled words with us this week:
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it… And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. *
God, the Creator of the infinite universe… God, the One who is timeless… God, the ever-present Source of Love… God, the Reason for our Hope, is dwelling here with us now, shining with an eternal hope to light our way.
* Bible verses are Matthew 6:26-27 and John 1:5,14 NRSVUE
Photo by Karen
AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: INTRODUCTION
As I began to prepare my Advent reflections for this year, it was difficult to find an inspirational theme. I struggled to write anything of significance amid election outcomes and personal heartaches, along with life’s regular responsibilities and unexpected interruptions. I prayerfully questioned how I could write about the gifts of the season—the hope, peace, joy, and love of God shown in Christ—among all these other things; among the turmoil, trials, and tasks that often surround and overwhelm us.
My thoughts turned to Jesus, who was born into ordinary human life and shared the human experiences and emotions of every generation. Each Advent season, as we prepare to celebrate his birth, we also celebrate his presence already with us. Jesus has always been, has already come, and continues to dwell within and among us. He has come to dwell with us among all these other things.
And suddenly I had my theme for this season: An Advent Among Other Things.
God is here with us in all of life, its joys and sorrows, its happiness and heartaches. All four gifts of Advent are treasures especially because of the hardships. We need hope because life holds disappointments and frustrations. We need peace because our souls are not always well. We need joy because we have times of worry and sorrow. We need love because life together can be challenging.
An Advent Among Other Things will be an opportunity to notice the gifts of God in Christ—among, along, as, with, because, for (and so on)—the rest of our daily feelings and experiences. It is my hope that we may be filled with these gifts and come away more refreshed, reassured, and inspired to love and serve one another in these days ahead.
Reflections will be posted on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week in December (they will actually be published in the evening prior to each day).
Thank you for reading—may you be blessed this season!
(Photo by Karen, outside of Atlanta, GA)
Simply Soul Searching 