Letting the Season Catch Up to Us
We’re only a few days away from Christmas.
And in this Advent season, I’ve been wondering—have we actually given ourselves the chance to pause and let the reality of this season sink in? Not just the schedule or the traditions, but the weight and wonder of what we’re celebrating.
I’ve been feeling that question personally this year.
We’ve had some work going on at our house, and because of it, Christmas décor has come together slowly—almost reluctantly. Aside from our two trees inside, not much else has made an appearance yet. The things that usually show up without much thought have been delayed.
Our niece noticed.
She asked my wife the other day, “Where is Baby Yoda?” He hasn’t made his appearance yet, and apparently in her mind, that meant something was missing. It was a small, almost throwaway moment—but it stuck with me a little bit.
Because Advent has a way of revealing what’s missing—not in a shame-filled way, but in an honest one.
My pastor growing up used to say, “Christmas isn’t Christmas until it’s Christmas in our hearts.” At the time, I’m not sure I fully understood what he meant. But as the years go on, that sentence feels truer than ever.
Scripture describes Mary’s response to the first Christmas this way: “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).
She didn’t rush past the moment.
She didn’t try to manage it.
She paused long enough to let it take root.
Advent peace often looks like that.
It’s not found in having everything decorated or every detail handled. Peace comes when we allow ourselves to stop long enough to notice that God has already drawn near. That Christ has come—not because everything was ready, but because love made a way.
Maybe this season doesn’t feel fully “up” yet for you either. Maybe things are unfinished, delayed, or quieter than usual. Advent reminds us that God is not deterred by that. He enters not when everything is perfect, but when hearts are open.
As we move closer to Christmas, perhaps the invitation isn’t to rush and catch up—but to pause and let the season catch up to us.
Because Christmas doesn’t begin when everything is out of storage.
It begins when Christ is welcomed again.
