“And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
Luke 1:46-47 CSB
December is here and I love it! I love everything about this season, the smells, the sights, the traditions, all of it creates a warm and cozy feeling of joy. It really is the best, this past weekend dear Danielle and I spent nap time putting up lights on the house, which was only slightly unsafe, but afterwards we had been able to look at our work and enjoy the season.
December also moves with blinding speed. Knocking out items on the to-do list, making plans, making sure you have all the gifts for the people in your life, all while trying to fully enjoy the season. In the past too, working in church ministry means preparing for a myriad of Christmas services that aren’t as necessary as you convince yourself is, which means downtime is not really there at all. This year though, we find ourselves not in that cycle, so we decided to be intentional with our time, to slow down and listen to what God is sharing with us in the season that reminds us of why we follow Christ.
When you take time to intentionally slow down and listen to what God is speaking to you, you are embracing the true spirit of this Christmas season.
I may sound like Linus from A Charlie Brown Christmas, but this season is about the birth of the savior bringing hope into the world. A child who would be the example of how to live and how to love others, making a way for healing the broken world we find ourselves in.
We began an advent devotional as a family to embrace this season, and it has been so helpful for us to embrace the season. The biggest insight that has aligned with our circumstance, is understanding that God is with us in the waiting. The story of Jesus comes after a time of waiting, and it opens with an older couple who has been waiting for a long time to have a child. They never lose hope and God brings hope to them, and isn’t that just perfect for each of us?
God never leaves us, even when we feel alone, our savior is with us showing us love and leading us in the unknowns.
Slowing down means saying no in order to say yes to what God is trying to reveal.
It’s hard to slow down, but it is vital to your growth in this journey of discipleship. Everything around you is vying for your time and attention. Some of it isn’t great, our relationship to our phones and social media can easily pull our time away. Some of it is great, like spending time with your family and friends and serving others. The thing that you need to figure out, is what is most important to you and what do you need to be okay saying no to.
It takes intentionality to slow down, but we need it. God has designed you with purpose and designed you to not go full force all the time. Jesus shows us that He intentionally showed up and then took time to slow down in order to prepare for the next moment.
Listening means putting what you hear into practice.
One of the first things you learn when studying communication, is the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is the body function of sound going in, and listening is taking that information and engaging with it. This looks like a conversation where both are fully engaged, building off of one another; that feels good. A breakdown of this looks like a conversation where you are just waiting for the other party to stop talking so you can get your point in.
We need to be ready to listen to what God has to say and engage with that.
When I read the Christmas story, I am reminded of the reaction and situation of Mary. An angel visits her in a quiet moment, gives her information that she will birth the savior, and she accepts the message and praises God.
I want to have this same mindset and attitude in my own faith journey. To have time where I have slowed down and listen to what God is calling me into. It more than likely won’t be this huge thing, but it could be! It could be a moment of life change or a way to change the life of another, but why would I want to miss out on what God might do because I am moving fast and not hearing what God is trying to say.
There is so much noise in the world around you, so take time in this busy season to slow down and listen to what God is speaking to you. It’s the most important voice that you need, so don’t quiet the spirit, make space for the Holy Spirit to reveal a new thing within you.
-Your pastor and friend, Joshua.
About the Author: Joshua Thomas is a husband, father, and pastor doing what he can to love others the way Jesus did. You can find him reading a good book, sipping warm tea, taking pictures, or dreaming. He may not have it all figured out, but the journey is the best part. You can find him on the social media he uses Tik Tok, Bluesky and Instagram
Joshua Writes 