How to Trust the Mysterious Slowness of God This Christmas
It is a pleasure to welcome my friend, Erica Barthalow to the blog today. She is not only an amazing woman of God, she’s as real as it gets when it comes to sharing her faith journey. Here’s her story:
As my fingers found the familiar pages of Matthew and I contemplated the Christmas story this year I was struck by one unshakeable thought: everything happened so slowly. Maybe it’s because I’m in my own season that seems to be dragging on forever that I’m oddly encouraged by this realization. Perhaps you will be too…
Over 2,000 years ago a bright star appeared in the night sky. Telling a story. The story. This star spoke to a group of men who studied the heavens, who looked to something outside of themselves and bigger than they were to gain wisdom.
This beacon led them on what many scholars say was probably a 2-year journey to see Jesus. God could have given the magi a map with the most direct route marked out for them. Instead, he gave them enough information to keep them moving in the right direction and ultimately to arrive at the intended destination—the incarnate presence of God.
Over and over, throughout Scripture, we see that God is the God of the unique, unexpected and…slow. Mary gave birth after nine months (which may have felt much longer, just ask any mama). Jesus came as a baby and grew for 33 years before he did anything that most of us would consider significant.
Nothing about the story of Jesus coming to earth looked the way we probably would have done things. A virgin. A baby. By our standards, none of it makes much sense.
I’m going to be honest, the way God works in my life is often not the way I would choose. I would choose the way of the microwave–instant success and progress. He prefers the slow cooker, choosing what will add depth and tenderness over what could make me crusty and tough.
No one knew all that God was really up to when Jesus arrived so long ago wrapped in human flesh. Not the magi. Not Mary or Joseph. Not the Jewish people or King Herod. And if we’re honest, we’d probably admit we often have no idea what God is up to either. But it doesn’t change God’s plans or his ability to bring them to pass.
In the First 5 teaching “Advent: Pointing to the Promise” Kayla Ferris writes, “These ‘wise men’ from the Christmas story were foreigners…[but God] utilized their interest in stars by creating one that would catch their attention.”
He’s the God of grand gestures; the one who announces that he’s come low to visit us with a brand new star in the sky. But we’re so often slow to recognize or understand what he’s doing.
When things happen slowly, it’s easy to miss what’s taking place right in front of our eyes. If you’re a parent, you know we need look no further than our own children. One day we wake up and they look so much older. So much more mature. In the mundane moments of our daily lives, we missed the slow, simple work of growth that was there for us to see the whole time.
The good news is God still speaks our language and even in slow seasons, where it looks like nothing of value is happening, he gives us enough to get us moving in the right direction even when we’re not sure exactly where we’re headed. He sent the star to the magi so they could behold his glory. If you’re inching along in the dark this Christmas season, know that he’s sent the light to show you the next small step forward so you too can behold his glory.
Wrapped in everything God gives to us is His goodness–even the seasons of waiting that seems interminable. So how do we look for that good? Here are two gifts to consider from the slow seasons:
It creates space. It creates space and time for us to grow closer to God and to those we love. Don’t miss this gift waiting for the next thing to happen!
We get to choose how we will respond. With each obstacle we face in life we get to choose our response. Does kindness, joy and patience (and other fruits of the Spirit) spill out of you in the waiting? If not, it’s an opportunity to let God do a work in your heart and help you be content in every season.
As you prepare your heart for this Christmas season, be encouraged if things don’t look the way you’d hoped or you’re still waiting… There’s a gift to be discovered–I pray you find it this Christmas season.
Erica Barthalow is an author, blogger, coach for writers and other creatives, church leader, pastor’s wife, and former missionary to India. She’s passionate about helping people wrestle well when faith is difficult. Because of that mission she writes and blogs about topics that are seldom talked about in church. Her writing has been featured on relevantmagazine.com and influencemagazine.com. She is the author of Holy Doubt: Hope for Fractured Faith and Questioning Hearts and the Holy Doubt Journal.
When she’s not writing you can find her running with her daughter or cheering at her son’s football games and rugby matches. A Midwestern girl to the core, Erica and her family live in northeast Iowa where she and her husband, Jonathan, planted a church and she enjoys extended winter seasons every year.
