As we enter the season of Advent, what should be our focus? According to modern Christian thought, Advent is the time of contemplative preparation for the birth of Christ at Christmas and the expected return of Christ at the Second Coming. While we can now see Advent as a time that serves as an anticipation of the birth of Christ, originally there was little connection between Advent and Christmas. By the 6th century, Roman Christians had associated Advent with the coming of Christ, but the coming they had in mind was his second coming in the clouds, as the judge of the world. The season of Advent was not explicitly associated with the first coming of Christ at Christmas until the Middle Ages. So, how does this history lesson relate to you as a single Christian today and what might the hopeful waiting look like?
First of all, in Advent, there is a look back as well as a look forward. We look back as we celebrate Christmas – celebrating Christ’s first coming into this world as a baby. But we also look forward to the day when He will come again, to take us to be with Him. In the same way, as you take some time to reflect during this time, you can look back on God’s faithfulness and goodness to you and think with hopeful anticipation of what is to come.
Things may not be exactly as you want them to be or as you hoped they would be, but there will be many things to thank God for and be thankful for. For example, what prayers has he answered? What friendships has he blessed you with? What lessons have you learned, even from the difficult experiences? The Bible says that in everything we should give thanks. So, as you look back at what God has done in your life, why not take a moment to thank Him for the good and the not so good?
You can also look forward to waiting, confident that God has something in the works. The great thing about waiting on God is that we don’t wait on someone who can’t keep his word or someone who doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing. Just as Christians around the world wait in anticipation for the Christmas season, and even more importantly, the second coming of Christ, we can expectantly wait for God to turn things around in our lives.
And we can expect it with confidence because He has a track record of keeping His word. Maybe you are waiting for God to answer your prayer to meet that special someone, or you believe that your relationship will go to the next level or something completely different. Remember that you are not alone, and those desires you have are good desires. In this season of advent, the key to waiting is to wait patiently.
We all know that waiting is not easy and that is why we need patience, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, in our lives. We all know that Christmas is on December 25th, but sometimes we still find it hard to wait for that day to come! It is even more difficult to wait when we do not know if what we are waiting for will happen, or indeed when it will happen.
But the good news is that we can still trust God in waiting, because He never lets us down. Just as we know that Jesus will keep His word that He will return one day, we can also believe that God will keep His word to meet all our needs, to never leave us or forsake us, and to work all things out together for our good.
So, how to wait patiently? First, we keep God’s word and His promises. Reading the Bible and noting God’s promises to you as a child of God can help you when waiting proves difficult. Take some time this Advent season to read your Bible.
Second, we wait happily and with praise in our hearts. Thank God for what He has already done and praise Him for what you believe He is about to do. There is a saying that goes, “while you wait for God to open the door, praise Him in the hallway!”. Make praising God a regular activity in your life.
Third, wait in prayer. In Luke chapter 2, we read about two people, a man named Simeon and a woman named Anna, who were both waiting to see the Lord’s Messiah. The Bible says inside verse 37 that Anna never left the temple, but worshiped day and night, praying and fasting. In the end, both she and Simeon were rewarded when they met the baby Jesus. Therefore, wait in prayer and trust God to keep His word to you.
In this season of Advent, I pray that you will experience God’s love, peace, and joy as you await Him with anticipation.
What does hopeful waiting look like for you this Advent?
Did you enjoy reading Advent: Enjoying the Season of Hopeful Waiting? Why not explore the season further with ‘What Advent Teaches Us About Hope’, ‘Prepare for Love, Joy and Peace This Advent’ and ‘Let’s Think and Expect This Advent’
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