Advent is such a special time, but let’s be honest—it often gets lost in the rush toward Christmas. We live in a world that’s ready to deck the halls as soon as Halloween ends, and before we know it, we’re singing “Jingle Bells” and sipping eggnog by November. But Advent isn’t just a warm-up act for Christmas; it’s a season that deserves our attention. It’s a time to slow down, reflect, and let the story of Jesus’ coming sink in deeply.
The word “Advent” comes from a Latin word meaning “coming.” For Christians, it’s a time to think about not just Jesus’ birth over 2,000 years ago but also the promise that He will come again. Advent connects the dots between what God has already done through Jesus and what He’s still going to do. It’s a season of hope and waiting, and honestly, that’s something we all need in a world that often feels hurried and uncertain.
Here’s the thing: waiting doesn’t come naturally to most of us. We want everything now—next-day shipping, instant answers, quick results. But Advent invites us to sit in the waiting and let it work on us. It reminds us of the people of Israel, who waited centuries for their Messiah. They lived in this in-between place of longing and hope, trusting that God would keep His promises. When we embrace Advent, we step into that same kind of waiting, looking forward to the day when everything broken will be made right.
Skipping Advent and going straight to Christmas is like tearing the last page off a calendar and pretending the days leading up to the 25th don’t matter. It’s like watching the end of a movie without experiencing the build-up that gives it meaning. Advent teaches us to slow down and reflect so that when Christmas arrives, the joy feels real and deep because we’ve spent time preparing our hearts.
Advent also helps us focus on what really matters. It’s so easy to get caught up in the holiday chaos—shopping lists, parties, and endless to-do lists. But Advent whispers, “Pause. Remember what this is all about.” It’s about hope breaking into the darkness, about God coming near to us in love and humility. When we take time to reflect, it shifts our perspective. Instead of just “getting through” the season, we start to experience its meaning.
One of the beautiful things about Advent is that it’s practical, too. It helps us prepare—not just our homes with decorations and gifts but our hearts. The four themes of Advent—hope, peace, joy, and love—are like guideposts, inviting us to focus on what we really want to carry into Christmas. When we take that time to prepare, the celebration feels so much more meaningful because we’re not just going through the motions. We’re living the story.
So this year, why not lean into Advent? Light a candle, read a passage of Scripture, or just take a quiet moment each day to reflect. Think about the promises of God and what it means to wait for them with hope. You might find that the journey through Advent makes Christmas feel less like an event and more like an experience of God’s love breaking into your life. And isn’t that what this season is really all about?