Almost any counselor will tell you the most challenging times of year for a person grieving the loss of a loved one are anniversaries of special events and holidays. So, while many will wholeheartedly celebrate Advent, you may struggle through this season.

To a certain degree, grief should be a common denominator this season among all of us who call Jesus Messiah. We celebrate the lights and decorations, the family gatherings, and the special treats, but there should also be a sense of emptiness among all the tinsel and wrapping.

Jesus has come, but not all is perfect.

Waiting Through Incomplete Perfection

The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus created a way for us to have a relationship with God and brought the Kingdom of God to earth, but His whole plan is not finished. The imperfection you face could be a broken relationship or your failing finances. You might be struggling with an illness, depression, or severe anxiety. It could be life doesn’t look like you expected.

Jesus came to establish his earthly Kingdom, but the work is incomplete. So, for now, we wait.

This feeling is encapsulated in the message Jeremiah wrote hundreds of years before Jesus came (emphasis mine):

“Although our sins testify against us,
do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.
For we have often rebelled;
we have sinned against you.
You who are the hope of Israel,
its Savior in times of distress,
why are you like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who stays only a night?
Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
like a warrior powerless to save?
You are among us, Lord,
and we bear your name;
do not forsake us!”
-Jeremiah 14:7-9

One lesson we can learn from the stories of the Old Testament is how often the people of God waited for Him to act. Their faithfulness in these difficult moments set them apart from both the godless culture around them and other God-fearing people.

Fathers in our Faith

Abraham was called to leave his homeland and travel to an unknown destination 900 miles away. He was promised a son through whom God would build a nation. So, Abraham waited…and waited…and waited. Abraham waited for God to fulfill his promise for twenty-five years, and still, he never saw the complete picture of what God spoke to him. 

Through a dream, God told Joseph that his whole family would bow down to him, but before this could happen, he was sold as a slave and then unjustly thrown into prison. For years, Joseph rotted in a jail cell, waiting for God to act. I imagine he flirted with giving up on God in those years but remained faithful. The dream was fulfilled, but only after decades of waiting.

By all accounts, the Magi who came to worship the newborn Savior weren’t followers of God, yet they traveled from afar to see who this promised King was. Did they travel for weeks or months? Did they track this star for years? We don’t know, but we know their patience in waiting to see the fulfillment of the promise they believed in.

Don’t Give Up. Wait.

Take these lessons from the Old Testament and Christmas story to heart. You are not alone in your wait for God to act. Further, as you wait for the return of our King, Jesus, it may feel like he acts like a stranger coming for a moment and leaving just as quickly. It may seem he is taken by surprise by the circumstances you face.

Don’t give up. Wait.

Your faithfulness in the dark times will set you apart from those around you.

For some of you, the wait will be longer than for others. Don’t give up. You may experience more difficult trials than others around you. Don’t give up. You may not think you can take another step. Don’t give up.

Hold Onto Hope

This Advent season, be reminded that two thousand years ago, Jesus established his Kingdom on earth. Hopefully, he will return soon, your waiting will be over, and everything will be made right. If not, hold onto hope as you wait.

The great 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote:

In your night of adversity, find hope in the birth of a baby boy who brought salvation to humanity. He came once. He will come again. Don’t give up.

Group Questions:

Ice Breaker:

1. In general, do you look forward to the Christmas season or not? Why?

Read Matthew 2:1-12:

1. In the story of Abraham, Joseph, and the Magi, each had to wait a long time for God’s promises to be fulfilled. What have you learned about waiting on God in your life, especially when things aren’t going as expected?

Read Jeremiah 14:7-9:

1. Jeremiah 14:7-9 describes a time when the people of God felt abandoned in their suffering. Have you ever experienced a time when it felt like God was distant or silent? How did you handle that season?

Read Devotion:

1. The devotion mentions that grief can make the holidays difficult. Have you ever felt a sense of emptiness or struggle during Advent? How do you cope with those feelings during this season?
2. Charles Spurgeon said, “Hope itself is like a star—not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.” How have you discovered hope in your life, especially during difficult or dark times?
3. The devotion encourages us not to give up in our waiting. What is one area of your life where you must be reminded to hold on to hope and wait for God to act?