Luke 2:8–10
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’”
As creatures of habit, we often resist change. Consistency is an important and healthy part of life, but only when our consistency is invested in behaviors that are life-giving. We sometimes resist change from our norm, even when our norm is unhealthy and the change is what we need.
When the children of Israel were freed from slavery, they had to rebuild trust in God. There was a point where they were afraid they would starve and wanted to return to Egypt where, though enslaved, they had food to eat. They needed time to rebuild trust with God. They needed time to grieve and let go of coping mechanisms that had brought them comfort in suffering. They had to learn how to be free.
Change can be hard and is often hindered by our fears of the unknown. “Rather the demon I know than the one I don’t,” as the saying goes. But what if the goal is no demon at all?
If we are so polarized in our belief that it is either this or that, then we leave no room for that of which we cannot conceive — the work of God.
It seems redundant and a bit understated to say that 2020 has been a hard year. Consistent complex trauma can make pain feel more normative than healing and freedom.
In such challenging times, it could help to remember God’s presence shows up not during the gaiety of the day, but during the uncertainty of the night. Jesus was born at night.
The shepherds who were tending sheep in this Luke passage did so during the night shift. Darkness was part of their familiar routine, and so the unexpected appearance of light invoked fear.
Could the light of hope be showing up in our darkest hour, but instead of joy, we are experiencing fear?
Are we more accustomed to darkness than light, to the extent that the hope of light invokes hesitation? We must not be afraid to embrace the light, however unexpected, for it comes with good news that will cause great joy.
Advent prepares us to enter a new year with the courage to embrace opportunities that teach us how to live free.
Prophetic Practice:
Take a day, hour, or minute to give yourself permission not to be afraid to hope. Even if only as a momentary practice, feel the freedom of believing the impossible is possible.
