Restlessness

Anybody else out there feeling a little bit restless lately?

Often restlessness happens when you’re in the middle of waiting for something… I’ve heard that, although maybe you’re not feeling quite so sick, the final weeks of pregnancy can be the worst! Women feeling tired of carrying around so much extra weight and discomfort for nearly nine months would do that!

But I think one of the things that makes restlessness so frustrating for us, is that even though we’re ready for one thing to be over, we’re also not quite ready for the next thing to begin. It’s this bizarre in-between place…

THAT is the place I’ve been sitting in for a while. Literally and metaphorically!

And, in many ways, that’s kind of what this Advent season in the Church is all about… seeing how dark and hopeless the world is and knowing that soon we will celebrate the birth of Jesus! Soon God will break through the darkness and bring to us the Light of the World. 

Buuut we’re not quite there yet… we still have a few weeks to go.

“The people walking in darkness

    have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

    a light has dawned.

You have enlarged the nation

    and increased their joy;

they rejoice before you

    as people rejoice at the harvest,

as warriors rejoice

    when dividing the plunder…

For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

    there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

    and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

    with justice and righteousness

    from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

    will accomplish this.”
[Isaiah 9:2-3; 6-7]

Can you imagine being the people of God before the birth of Jesus was truly revealed?
In the time of darkness and silence from God? Just waiting and waiting and waiting…

The prophets weren’t hearing from God anymore; they were living as oppressed people with foreigners ruling over them in their own land!

And then finally when God acts… he sends a baby?!

Sometimes God responds to our restlessness with what seems like a complete non-sequitur; his response does not seem to align with our question or dilemma at all!

It is especially important for us to remember God’s goodness and his kindness in these moments. He’s not being cruel or mean to us. Jesus taught us that his Father doesn’t treat his children that way! James writes that, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

As confusing and mysterious as he may be, Jesus truly is the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace…

No matter how restless you might be feeling right now, I invite you to take a real deep breath, shrug your shoulders a few times and shake your arms around a little. Jump up and down or maybe do a silly dance. Switch things up a little! Turn your body physically around a few times and let it serve as a symbol of choosing to turn back towards the Lord despite the restlessness you’re feeling.

Your situation probably won’t change during this goofy exercise, maybe something within your spirit will shift back into place. As you force yourself to turn away from the frustration, maybe you’ll catch a new glimpse of the Prince of Peace.