This is the beginning of the Advent season, where we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is said that Christmas is the "season of hope." I believe that to be true. It's about new beginnings and finding hope in a God who deals in hope.
Yesterday at my church, hanging behind the pastor as he spoke about the hope of the season, was the word HOPE...big, white, sparkly letters that caught your eye as soon as you walked into the sanctuary. I've thought about that word a lot in the past several hours.
A lot of good things have been happening to me lately. In the last few weeks, things that I have been wanting for myself and my family have been coming true. After a year of frustration and disappointment, this is a welcome change. I am incredibly grateful for the blessings that have occurred both lately and through my whole life. But there is something in me that doesn't totally trust good things. Under the happiness and gratefulness in my face and heart right now is fear and doubt. I wonder and worry when something bad is going to happen to mess all this up. I HATE that those thoughts that fly through my head, but find that they are there nonetheless.
I even started wondering about those silly Myans and the end of the world that is supposedly going to happen in a few weeks. It would be my luck that I am finally getting all the things I have been wanting my whole life and I won't even have the chance to enjoy them because the world will end on December 21st!
But wait...if the world ends, I will be in heaven, so I REALLY WILL be getting what I have always wanted, right? No worries!
I find HOPE in Jesus. HOPE makes it possible to keep going. HOPE makes it possible to put those negative fears and thoughts out of my mind. HOPE makes it possible for me to do everything I do in the name of Jesus and give thanks and praise to a God who knew we needed HOPE and gave us his son to fill that need. HOPE brings me joy!
So, today, I will put on my sparkly JOY pin and live my life in the HOPE that Jesus brings! I hope the next 22 days bring you HOPE and JOY as well!
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