Tis the Season…to be overloaded, overwhelmed, and stressed out. Don’t get me wrong I do get a subtle thrill from tacky Christmas sweater parties, Christmas music blaring from speakers all around me, and all the holiday glitz and glamor that floods our lives this time of year. However, this year, as I begin to feel that familiar tug into a frazzled, frantic holiday state of mind I am stopping to remind myself of something.
This should be the Season of Waiting.
Our brains, our bodies have been programmed not to wait. Whenever we find ourselves in line at a store we immediately pull out our phones or grab a magazine, desperate for something to occupy us so we won’t be stuck with ourselves. We flock to those flashing NO WAITING signs in restaurants, malls, and coffee shops. Anything, anything, to keep us from stopping, from standing still, from taking a break and just being alone with ourselves and God.
Perhaps, it is in being with ourselves that God’s voice finally rises above the rest. As we wait, we realize what is really eating away at us, what is really down there inside of us. It’s surprising, uncomfortable, and difficult and that is why our brains are wired to avoid such stillness. But by being with God and our thoughts we are doing far more for ourselves then the mindless actions that make up a great deal of our lives. We are finding that inner voice, realigning that inner compass, and ultimately saving ourselves from a spiritual death.
So as we enter the Season of Advent, I encourage everyone to take a break from the madness and think about what it means to wait and actually give it a try. Your brain and your body will put up heavy resistance at first but continue through that feeling. On the other side, you will find something. Yourself.
By KATIE TURPEN