Less Rush, More Presence This Advent
Photo by Grant Whitty on Unsplash
The holiday season has always felt like a relief to me. Life feels like it moves so fast sometimes. There are constantly new things happening—whether it’s school, work, family, or the endless to-do lists that never seem to get any shorter. So, when December arrives, it feels like all this weight has dropped from my shoulders and I can just embrace what winter has to offer. But along with the commercial holiday spirit, Advent has this quiet way of inviting us to slow down, to step out of the constant motion and just be present. And honestly, that feels like a blessing in itself.
I love the holidays. The hot cocoa, ice skating, and childhood Christmas movie reruns truly put me in this whole different vibe I can’t explain. The smell of desserts baking in the oven, friends gathering for secret santa, even the feeling you get when you finally find the perfect gift for someone you love … It's joyful and exciting and full of traditions I wouldn’t trade for anything.
But I’ve noticed something that slips right from under me. Sometimes in all the busyness and sparkle, I can drift away from what the season of Advent is really about, the arrival of Jesus. In the middle of holiday playlists, shopping trips, and planning get-togethers, that can get pushed to the background without me even realizing it. And yes, sometimes it means pressing pause on Wham! and Mariah Carey and switching to a little Brandon Lake or Chris Tomlin. Not because Christmas pop songs aren’t fun, but because it’s nice to be reminded of the deeper reason we celebrate, you know?
So how do we make space for God in the rush? I am 100% NOT AN EXPERT by any means, but something about less compensating debates and more about weaving Him into the moments we have feels more organic. Maybe it’s waking up ten minutes earlier to read a short Bible passage before the noise of the day starts. Maybe it’s lighting an Advent candle in the evening and saying a simple prayer. Maybe it’s choosing to walk home without your headphones so you can have a few minutes of quiet. Even pausing during a busy moment to say, “Thank you, God,” is a way of centering ourselves in Him.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. Some days you’ll get a whole half-hour of stillness, other days it might just be thirty seconds in the car before walking into work or school. The point is not to check a box but to make space for God to meet you in the middle of your real, messy, ordinary life.
The beauty of learning to do this in December is that it doesn’t have to end once Christmas is over. Advent can teach us rhythms of rest and reflection that carry into January and beyond. Because if we can make time for God during the busiest month of the year, we can make time for Him during the slower ones too.
I think that’s one of the greatest gifts Advent gives us: it’s not just about the waiting, it’s about the practice. The practice of slowing down, of noticing, of remembering that God is present in every season.
So this Advent, of course, enjoy the lights, the cookies, the laughter, and yes, even the holiday hits. But also leave space for moments of stillness with God. His presence is the one thing that will carry us long after the decorations are packed away. And years from now, it might not be the gifts or the playlists, but instead those quiet, unhurried moments when we let ourselves pause and make room for Him that impact us most.
