By Lyndsey Cornell

Advent means “coming or arrival.” Knowing someone is coming means there is a period of waiting for their arrival. We wait for the coming of Christ. We anticipate His arrival.

Christmas is full of waiting. That’s part of the joy. Waiting for the things we desire builds up quite the anticipation. That kind of hopeful anticipation is wildly full of expectation, and our expectations confront us with our most emphatic desires.

We all desire healing, restoration, love, peace, joy, and intimacy. Christmas reminds us we are full of desire.

Then, there are specific desires, maybe only known to God in the whispers of our hearts and spoken through hidden tears: Please help my child. Renew my marriage. God, I need direction. Comfort my grieving heart. Take my shame. Help me forgive.

As we grapple with reconciling these expectations with our desires, I ask: “Jesus, what did You come to bring? I’m waiting for you to come, but what exactly am I waiting for? Am I waiting for you to fix my problems? Am I waiting for you to change the people closest to me? Am I waiting for you to rescue me from my circumstances?”

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:4-5

He came to bring us life, and that life is LIGHT. A light that shines in the darkness and cannot be overcome.

I’ve pondered the word LIGHT a lot these last couple of days. That’s what this group is named, right? We are women IN THE LIGHT.

Light is tricky. It’s warm. It’s happy. It’s that sunny day on the beach kind of feeling.

But there are other truths about light. I’m reminded of the yucky thing that sometimes happens when I turn on the light in the bathroom first thing in the morning and a cockroach scurries off to find a new hiding place. I was better off not knowing he was there. It felt better being in the dark.

Light exposes.

Sigh. Being in the light has very much exposed things in my life: sin, wounds, lies, and fears. Doing this work has exposed my heart in ways that made being in the dark feel much more comfortable.

Light makes you see things you didn’t see before. You might see people for who they are. You might see yourself for who you are. You see things you didn’t want to see.

Light exposes.

Light makes you see things you didn’t see before.

As much as I would like to think darkness is what makes the cockroach disappear, that disgusting creature is still there. The darkness only hides it. Without the light, I’m unaware of it, and that’s way more terrifying.

You cannot heal what you cannot see. You cannot fix what is hidden. The light is a gift. The light is TRUTH.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and TRUTH.” John 1:14

Truth isn’t exactly what I was expecting you to bring me this season, Jesus. I was hoping for more of that joy and peace, that fuzzy feeling inside that everything is going to be OK. I wanted some rest.

But here’s the beautiful thing about LIGHT. Light does not have to fight to overcome darkness. It just does by its mere presence.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

He came to give us light, and now He calls US the light of the world. There is nothing we have to do with this gift of light and truth. By our mere presence, we overcome darkness. As light, we can be. We can rest.

This Advent season, remember the power you possess as LIGHT. Merely by your presence, you bring warmth. You expose. You overcome darkness. This is a gift worth waiting for.