I sat with some friends back in October, talking about when we put up Christmas trees as kids. Everyone in the group said “the day after Thanksgiving” except one. She had grown up putting up her tree on Christmas Eve. Where she was from, Advent was Advent and Christmas was Christmas. But that’s not so easy today.
When preparing for Christmas has become synonymous with celebrating Christmas, the preparatory season of Advent tends to fall through the cracks, and we find ourselves trying to prepare (with the church) and celebrate (with the rest of the world and life around us) at the same time.
But you don’t have to give up on Advent. Even now (since it’s very hard to turn back the clock to the way things used to be), the especially valuable things of Advent are still things you can grab on to. Here are a few things to do (or not do) in the next few weeks.
Four Advent Dos and Don’ts
1. Do embrace the joy of Advent.
You’ll hear that Advent is a time for reflection and repentance, that you should focus on how you’ve been living your life before God. But you can take Advent seriously and still appreciate the joy that comes from knowing you have a Savior.
If your December has its share of eggnog, fun gift exchanges, and photo cards from faraway loved ones, take joy in that! Thank God that He doesn’t hesitate to give gifts and bring joy into your life. He really does mean it when He says that all your sins are forgiven.
2. Don’t feel bad about your sadness.
Advent isn’t a joyful time for everyone. What used to be joyful can be very hard when you’ve lost the person you used to enjoy it with. It’s difficult to be alone when all the people around you seem to be so happy together. Social media posts curated to show only the happiest parts of being together can make this seem even worse. You don’t have to feel bad about being sad. Christ comes to comfort the lonely and bind up the broken-hearted. If you need to retreat from it all, that’s okay—but retreat into God’s Word, not just into your thoughts. Build in some extra time for Bible study and devotions during these weeks. Through His Word, your Lord brings a comfort and joy that transcends trees, lights, and gifts, and gives a peace that surpasses understanding!
3. Do set aside time for devotions.
Whatever Advent brings for you this year, the most valuable part of the season is the invitation to spend more time in God’s Word. If you don’t usually do any kind of home devotion, build in five minutes a day and use CPH’s Every Heart Prepare Advent devotions (especially convenient through the InPrayer app on your phone). If you’ve already got a daily devotion in place, build it out a little for Advent—consider adding the Every Heart Prepare devotions, reading through one of the Gospels, or using your prayer time to reflect on your own life (and your need for a Savior) and the lives of your neighbors (who have all kinds of needs that arise during the Advent season too).
4. Do plan to go to Advent and Christmas church services.
The best way to be in God’s Word is to hear your pastor preach it to you. It’s not the deepest version of studying the Bible, but it’s the God-given way for His Word to be applied to your life. Your church probably has three extra midweek services during Advent. Attend them. Nothing will do the double task of reminding you it’s Advent and getting you to hear God’s Word better than you taking an evening out of your week to go to church.
Don’t forget Christmas morning. One of the saddest Christmas traditions we’ve adopted as a culture is that presents have to be opened in pajamas so there isn’t time to go celebrate the birth of the Savior. Christmas and Easter are the two greatest Christian celebrations. It’s right to celebrate them with church services.
Waiting Joyfully
All right; those are four things that can help a Christian get through a modern Advent. If they’re helpful, I’m glad, because it can be confusing to navigate a season that the world celebrates at the same time as the church, but in such a different way. But, even beyond Advent, Christians are always dealing with this challenge, aren’t they? That child born to Mary in the stable was the same man who was crucified for your sins. He invites you to greet Him with joy, even though you both know that it eventually leads to Him on the cross. God gives you permission to take joy even when you know you’re a sinner—even when you have good reasons to not be joyful.
One of the main themes in Advent is waiting—waiting to celebrate until the Savior arrives. It’s an annual practice round for your whole Christian life. We Christians are always waiting for Christ to come and rescue us from the pains and troubles and sins of this life. While we wait, the important thing is to keep our eyes forward, watching with anticipation. To see Jesus ahead is to be reminded that at Christmas we commemorate something that’s already in the history books. Your Savior was already born, and He has already saved you! He’s with you right now, sharing your joys and your sorrows in this season and every other.
Spend time abiding in God’s Word and preparing for Jesus with daily devotions from the Advent series Every Heart Prepare.
