Jake's Advent Reflection
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - John 1:5
This year has been a difficult and dark year. Globally, we’ve seen nations at war and the subsequent deaths of thousands. Nationally, we’ve seen political conflict leaving neighbors and families divided. News videos of violence, children crying, and people yelling fill our TV and phone screens. Amidst the global and national darkness, if you're anything like me, your personal life also has been filled with brokenness this year. Hardships in life have left me in pain, confused, and anxious about the future.
What do I do to deal with this darkness? You may be like me and try to mask the pain. You doomscroll the fears away. You entertain yourself with social events. You resort to humor. You try to convince others that you’ve got your life together. In other words, to cope with the darkness, we seek pleasure, fabricate our appearances, or blame our fears on others. But we know these things only keep us in the darkness. We try to find “light” in what’s ultimately vanity, but only find temporary satisfaction as we descend into deeper darkness. We need a way to overcome the darkness.
Amidst the darkness of this year, as the year ends, followers of Christ celebrate Advent. We remember the coming of the true light who came into the world, Jesus, the Son of God. We remember the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus ushered into the world, and we anticipate the fulfillment of those things when He comes again.
It would be foolish for me to claim that our world right now is filled completely with hope, peace, joy, and love. As followers of Christ, we know things aren't as they should be. The world is filled with darkness, but we should not despair. We proclaim along with the apostle John that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. No matter how dark, evil, distorted, or corrupt our world might be, the darkness has not overcome Jesus, it cannot. In fact, the opposite is true. Later in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples,
“In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
As we face tribulation, we can take heart knowing that Jesus is the light of the world, and is coming again soon.
But what do we do in the meantime? How do we wait well and not lose heart in a world that seems all too dark? How do we not fall into the trap of trying to find light in the things of the world? How do we overcome the darkness? We observe Advent as a time to remember the light of Christ overtaking the darkness.
One thing that I have found helpful is to marinate in the truth of who Jesus is, that He indeed is the light who has come into the world, and whom the darkness cannot overcome. Through prayer and scripture reading, I try to fix my eyes upon the truth of Jesus, and remember that in him is life and life abundant. This often proves to be difficult, and thus requires a removal of anything that might distract me from seeking the Lord.
When tempted to seek pleasure in status and experiences, I recall the words of a favorite hymn:
Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
I try to recognize that other helpers will fail and all other comforts flee. That I am helpless without our Lord.
Another thing is calling to mind the ways in which the light of Christ shines through those around me. I think of my wife’s joyful smile towards me when she comes home from work, and my son’s giggles as he prays before a meal. I think of the faithfulness of friends who are present during hospital stays, the silly notes of appreciation plastered by students on my office door, and the presence of friends around the dinner table during times of grief.
In all these things, through Advent, I see the light of Christ, and that He has overcome the darkness. The help I receive is not in the sense of pretending the darkness isn’t real, but in fixing my eyes upon the light of Christ through abiding with Jesus, addressing where I have sinned, and seeing His light shine through others. It’s in that abiding with Jesus that we, ourselves, are able to be a light to those around us.
My prayer is that you would know that no matter how dark the might have been for you, the darkness has not, cannot and will not overcome the Light of the world.
What do I do to deal with this darkness? You may be like me and try to mask the pain. You doomscroll the fears away. You entertain yourself with social events. You resort to humor. You try to convince others that you’ve got your life together. In other words, to cope with the darkness, we seek pleasure, fabricate our appearances, or blame our fears on others. But we know these things only keep us in the darkness. We try to find “light” in what’s ultimately vanity, but only find temporary satisfaction as we descend into deeper darkness. We need a way to overcome the darkness.
Amidst the darkness of this year, as the year ends, followers of Christ celebrate Advent. We remember the coming of the true light who came into the world, Jesus, the Son of God. We remember the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus ushered into the world, and we anticipate the fulfillment of those things when He comes again.
It would be foolish for me to claim that our world right now is filled completely with hope, peace, joy, and love. As followers of Christ, we know things aren't as they should be. The world is filled with darkness, but we should not despair. We proclaim along with the apostle John that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. No matter how dark, evil, distorted, or corrupt our world might be, the darkness has not overcome Jesus, it cannot. In fact, the opposite is true. Later in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples,
“In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
As we face tribulation, we can take heart knowing that Jesus is the light of the world, and is coming again soon.
But what do we do in the meantime? How do we wait well and not lose heart in a world that seems all too dark? How do we not fall into the trap of trying to find light in the things of the world? How do we overcome the darkness? We observe Advent as a time to remember the light of Christ overtaking the darkness.
One thing that I have found helpful is to marinate in the truth of who Jesus is, that He indeed is the light who has come into the world, and whom the darkness cannot overcome. Through prayer and scripture reading, I try to fix my eyes upon the truth of Jesus, and remember that in him is life and life abundant. This often proves to be difficult, and thus requires a removal of anything that might distract me from seeking the Lord.
When tempted to seek pleasure in status and experiences, I recall the words of a favorite hymn:
Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
I try to recognize that other helpers will fail and all other comforts flee. That I am helpless without our Lord.
Another thing is calling to mind the ways in which the light of Christ shines through those around me. I think of my wife’s joyful smile towards me when she comes home from work, and my son’s giggles as he prays before a meal. I think of the faithfulness of friends who are present during hospital stays, the silly notes of appreciation plastered by students on my office door, and the presence of friends around the dinner table during times of grief.
In all these things, through Advent, I see the light of Christ, and that He has overcome the darkness. The help I receive is not in the sense of pretending the darkness isn’t real, but in fixing my eyes upon the light of Christ through abiding with Jesus, addressing where I have sinned, and seeing His light shine through others. It’s in that abiding with Jesus that we, ourselves, are able to be a light to those around us.
My prayer is that you would know that no matter how dark the might have been for you, the darkness has not, cannot and will not overcome the Light of the world.