When we move from darkness into the light, there is a supposition that everything reverts to a time when life proceeded in a stress-free environment. I often find myself shocked when my entry into the light is quite different from my entry into the darkness. “No, Lord, you answered my prayer all wrong. I want it done this way.”
What I fail to accept is the solution provided with Divine wisdom comes in radically different ways. Eventually, if I stop fighting, I discover that the new course is much better, and the benefits far outweigh any quick fixes. Faith must interrupt the doubts, and hope gives way to a brighter day. We step into the solution and allow the Spirit to guide us.
On this day in Advent, we thank God by remembering that our entrance into the light is sometimes fraught with struggle. We ask for strength in our hour of need so that we will not slip back into the darkness but gladly embrace the luminary essence of the Holy One of Israel. We sing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” but have a tough time living as if God ransomed us. In the toughest of moments, we discover the One who keeps us balanced so that our feet may walk a steady line. We embrace our joy so that it will be made full.
From a Pastor's Point of View 