Advent Confession

I am dreadfully behind in all my ideal ideas of what I want to do in this Advent season. I want to read in my Advent prayer book each day. I want to sit and ponder the season of darkness that precedes the coming of Light in Christ. I want to be more prayerful. I want to be more aware of the very moment I am breathing in the breath of God. I want to write more. I want to encourage others more. I was to do thoughtful things for others. More. More. More.

I could go on and on, honestly. It is never ending all that I want to do, with goodness as the intention. I could beat myself up quite a bit, and be hard on myself. But stop. Be gentle. Hear these words -

He sees me through the eyes of grace.

Oh, how I need to dwell in that truth.

God is deep within us, never leaving. We are just feeling our way through life. Sometimes we are not doing everything just as we want to do it. Our mind has mountains, and we try to scale them finding ourselves sometimes sliding backwards at some points.

That's why Christ offers us hope. He knows we struggle. He knows our struggle. He has felt our struggle.

This season is a season of contrasts and paradoxes. Things that shouldn't have happened, happen, and go against what was expected. But it is all both/and. Not if/or. 

Darkness and light.
Silence and song.
Poor and rich.
Loss and gain.
Waiting and receiving.
Cold and warmth.
Feeling lost and finding the way.
Meek and strong.
Receiving and giving.

Embrace these. Listen to the contrasts. Feel them, and think about them. What do they mean in your life? What is God trying to tell you through them? Let them be what they are in your life, but pay attention to their ringing in your days.

And no matter the season, or the situation - He sees me through the eyes of grace.