The Secret of Christmas That Makes Sense of Our Suffering

During this Advent season, we eagerly anticipate the celebration of our Savior’s birth.

But for some, they don’t feel like celebrating for various reasons. And probably, any adult reading this is enduring some kind of trial or hardship. But if we look closer at the history and the story surrounding Christ’s birth, there is so much hope mingled in for us!

Advent is a time of waiting. And many of us are waiting–for a prodigal child to come home, for a hurting marriage to heal, for a deep grief to subside, or maybe just for your kids to get older so life isn’t so chaotic–and waiting isn’t fun. God’s people had waited for so long for the Messiah and many had even given up any hope of His coming.

The world was dark, and without hope. When would the Light come?

It didn’t make sense.

Then He came, in the most surprising, unexpected way. A teenaged girl would carry the Son of the Most High. People would gossip. Joseph may struggle.

It didn’t make sense.

Surely once He came, he’d grow up a mighty warrior, with the biggest army to conquer the enemy of our souls and everyone would surely know this great King.

But he didn’t. And it didn’t make sense. He would be humble and lowly. With only a borrowed donkey to ride into a crowd who would, a little while later, mock and kill Him.

Imagine how the disciples must have felt. Imagine all their hopes dashed as they looked on their Teacher who was dead. Imagine Mary. Had she really seen an angel that day?

This certainly didn’t make sense.

Until it did. 

And now the Kingdom shall have no end and our Redeemer sits on His throne with His enemies under His feet, until the next return, when He will bring Heaven to earth and we will live in glorious and eternal joy!

We have the privilege of knowing the whole story. Just as we read many other stories in the Bible that only make sense at the end.

That is our hope, dear friends! In the midst of suffering, it doesn’t make sense. BUT, if we trust God’s perfect sovereignty, it doesn’t have to. We can rest in the peace that He is working every detail of our lives for our good and His glory. We know this about Him because we’ve seen it over and over!

Fall into the arms of your all-knowing Father. Tell Him how you feel and ask Him to give you that peace through the uncertainty. And then wait…the end is glorious!

To help celebrate Advent, consider reading Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent.