Christmas for many can feel like a burden, lonely, and be a stressed-filled season. In the West, there is great pressure to live up to an image that, let’s face it, no one can. The author “Ann” of “aholyexperience.com” shares, “Whenever Christmas begins to burden, it’s a sign that I’ve take on something of the world and not of Christ. ”
This is why I have come to appreciate the value of the Advent season. This tradition over the years has been practiced in different ways with different purposes, but similar purposes. However, at its core has always been a call back to spiritual disciplines and reflection upon Jesus. It does not matter if it was a 40 day experience or a 4 week experience, it has been about preparing, pausing, reflecting and seeking Jesus.
This is an opportunity to develop a different spiritual discipline in order to understand God more deeply. It is a season to let go of the world and grab Jesus. In the world of weight lifting, if you are going to grow you muscles you need to stress and relax the muscle. You lift heavy weights then give them rest. Advent is a season to lift some weights to grow your spiritual muscle.
Help To get more out of the Season of Christmas
1. Make a choice to lift weights.
ok not physical weights, though that may help with the extra eating we do at this time of year. But choose to practice some extra or different spiritual disciplines over this season.
2. Find a community to do this with.
This could be Christian friends, small group or family. Having people to do this with will only increase your opportunity to grow and God will use others to help shape your spiritual formation.
3. Bible meditation, Pray, Fast, Serve
Perhaps you are already doing some of this, but change it up this month. In my local church setting we try to provide a bible reading plan for the current advent season. If you would like the current one, email matthew@matthewlaker.com. You could meet with a group this season to read scripture and talk about it.
Continue to develop your prayer life, perhaps add a prayer walk or community prayer time. Perhaps, find an advent devotional to guide this process.
I would encourage you in the midst of a season full of food in the west. Consider fasting as a way to be reminded of the Lordship of Jesus and your need for him.
Serving is increased in our Canadian culture at this time of year, but consider how you may impact one person or a group of persons this advent season. You just may find Jesus there.
Ok, so you are saying is this not what we are already called to do as followers of Jesus? Yes, many of us struggle to do it, so this is a great time to refocus. In my own life I practice most of the basic spiritual disciplines. However, this time of year I try to add a few extra or change in order to seek him more. It is a set time to be still and know God.
Things in my house we do or have done.
a. We light a candle each night that has a count-down to Christmas day on it.As part of that time we have prayers.
b. We watch a movie about the first coming of Jesus, and then my wife and I often sit and talk about it.
c. Join in with church advent traditions. This often includes lighting of candles, extra reading, Christmas Eve service.
d. Personally I often pick up an extra advent/Christmas devotional to read.
e. Engage in spiritual conversation with others over a meal . The last number of years this is often with our kids, as we talk about what is Christmas all about.
f. We try to find ways to invite people into our life to share the experience. For example, host an evening with people who do not know Jesus in your house. Serve dessert and drinks and be intentional about hearing their stories about this time of year. You will have opportunity to shares yours.
g. When my wife was growing up, each week they used to put out a new person to the nativity scene that would end with Jesus on Christmas morning. We have not done this yet but keep talking about it each year.
This season take on Jesus and not the burden of the world. What traditions do you have?