Advent is a season for every heart to prepare Christ room. That means removing the boxes from our lives to allow space for Christ’s coming. The season is busy and intense for most of us. Emptying and simplifying strike us as seasonally inappropriate. We think of doing more and more, not less and less.
A spiritual housecleaning, complete with yard sale, recycling, and a trip to the landfill, is not an Advent tradition most folks ever consider. But a prayerful assessment of our lives may reveal habits and expectations that no longer fit our deeper yearnings. Just as we give away clothing we have outgrown, we may need to let go of worn-out rituals of how we celebrate Christmas.
How do we let go of our gift buying frenzy and make room for Christ in our hearts?
- Simplifying our gift-giving patterns.
- Finding non-material ways to say “I love you” may be another.
Less may be more in the economy of God, especially when it comes to making room for Christ. This Advent, do a little housecleaning in the attic of your soul.
Shalom, Paul