"As countless carols, films, and family customs fill the season, it is easy to pass through these weeks bathed in a warm, nostalgic glow. As we sing each year, 'All is calm, all is bright.' And while we can joyfully celebrate this season as one of 'heavenly peace,' we shouldn't too quickly associate this peace with undisturbed tranquility. In truth, the Incarnation of Christ was anything but calm, with earthly powers immediately disturbed and outraged by the birth of this newborn king (Matthew 2).
Peace is not the absence of conflict but is the presence of God in the midst of chaos. The psalmist reminds us of this, saying, 'Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident' (Psalm 27:3). They knew in their bones something we are daily prone to forget: peace is not circumstantial but is given freely by God as a gift. It is therefore possible to live in deeply painful and disorienting seasons and yet remain a person of profound peace.
There is a persistent temptation to tie inner peace to outer calm. And while some chapters of life are simpler or less stressful than others, we can never guarantee a life free from all conflict or distress. As Jesus himself reminds us, 'In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world' (John 16:33)! It does us no good to anxiously worry about the challenges we face in life. Instead, we are invited daily to live free from all fear, not as a form of blind optimism, but instead deeply rooted in the victory of God won in Jesus."
- From, "Love's Pure Light: An Advent Devotional," available on the Dwell app. Used with permission.
Reflective Practices
It has been said that one of the greatest obstacles to us experiencing the peace of Jesus is that we do not move at the pace of Jesus. Instead we rush quickly from one task or appointment to the next and become impatient when anything interrupts us or delays us. The busyness of the Christmas season usually tends to only amplify this problem, which is why we want to invite you into a different way of inhabiting this season. When you are confronted with conflicts, interruptions, and other setbacks, we want to invite you to continue what we began as a church family yesterday as the Peace candle was lit – SLOWING DOWN to breathe, remember God, and wait with him. This kind of waiting doesn't come naturally to most of us. It's something we must grow in, and we grow best by intentionally exercising our waiting muscles – slowing down in physical, embodied ways which teach our souls. That's why this week's practices involve a combination of finding God in the unexpected slowdowns of your day and deliberately slowing yourself down to attend to God through prayer and reflection on his word.
- Notice the moments in your day that feel like interruptions – a slowdown on your commute home, missing the bus, an unplanned conversation, a sick child, etc. When you find yourself in one of these situations, take a moment to breathe slowly. Instead of trying to rush past the interruption, ask God to help you glimpse his desire for you in this moment (which could be as simple as using the time to talk to him, listening well to the person you're talking with, showing grace toward your sick child).
- Practice being unhurried this week in one of the following ways. If you share a meal with others, make it a point to be the last to finish. Or, if making a purchase in a store, intentionally choose the longest line and learn to resist the urge to rush to the next thing!
- Consider abstaining from unnecessary noise in a way that makes sense for your context. Perhaps you take a break from TV, music, or podcasts. Drive in the car with the radio off. Resist pulling out your phone when there’s a lull in your conversation or otherwise in your day (eg. in the bathroom). Be creative, and remember, we say "no" in order to say "yes" to something better!
- Consider adopting one or more of these additional practices for the Advent season to help slow your body down – driving slower, using your phone only for essential tasks, going to bed earlier, getting out in nature, practicing Sabbath.
- Spend some time reading and reflecting on the following Scripture passages this week…
- Psalm 27. Consider committing this psalm to memory, adding a few verses at a time each day. Speak a portion of this passage to yourself when the chaotic and challenging moments come in your day.
- Isaiah 2:1-5 & Isaiah 11:1-10. These passages give us a picture of the kind of peace God intends to bring about when the fullness of his kingdom comes – war transformed into worship, fear into friendship, and conflict into cultivation. In what relationships or situations in your life do you need to ask God for this peace?
Whatever unexpected situations this week might bring for you, may these practices draw you into being with the God who came to be with us and to be peace for us. Amen.
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