The King is Here

Emmanuel.

God with us. 

Yes, this is the season, but thanks to a reminder from another platform, I was reminded of a refreshing way to think of this season and up-coming Christmas.

To be honest, today was an exceptionally difficult day for me emotionally. However, by the grace of God, a few friends and an awesome prayer warrior, I was able to push through the emotions and truly enjoy the day. 

I know, it's not that I find it hard to be grateful, because there is so so much for me to be grateful for. Sometimes, my brain wants to do its own thing and no amount of positive thinking or re-directing my thoughts can get me out of the spiral it decides to get me into. I have people I reach out to when this occurs, although it is really only me struggling to deal with every day emotions. My brain just cannot always take them like most people. While God has allowed me to overcome some things, there is still so much learning and growing I have to do. 

That's why I like when someone says something that has always been said, but from a different perspective. It can mean so much more than the way we've always known it. 

God with us, Emmanuel. 

As someone else shared, "Jesus arrives in the noise of life. Not far off. Not removed. He shows up, He draws near."

"Love does not stay at a distance. It moves in."

It is really difficult for me to be at rest. Im always moving, always working toward something, but rest- while productive, doesn't much feel productive to me. Perhaps Ive simply never given myself permission to think of it that way- I don't know. But in this season of waiting and preparation (only God knows for what) I find myself struggling through yet another emotional holiday. 

Life looks so much different than I would hope it would by this point in my life, but I was also reminded that God's plan is always worth the wait. While I think as believers we are aware of this, sometimes in the midst of God's process we cannot always sense hope. I, myself, am always fighting what feels like false hope. It's a constant battle.  It's hard enough to do life alone, especially when others do not have that struggle amongst the family memories and creating new ones and celebrating each other in the coziness of gathering. 

But there is one thing I know for sure and I can have the confidence to hope in without any hesitation- because He won't break my heart and He won't choose another; He won't leave me guessing and He won't remain distant.

Instead, He shows up, He draws near and wants to show me (and you!) love. That's Emmanuel, God with us. God near us. He could have remained at a distance, having kept his position in glory but instead, He chose to move in, draw near and love us in spite of our selfish selves. Don't do life without the One and Only Savior. He is not only with us, He is near us. Life may not look the way you had hoped or even expected (talking to myself, here) but perhaps when things don't make sense to us, it is simply because God's thoughts and plans are so much higher than ours and He is working in ways we cannot comprehend. 

And think, after 400 years of what seemed to be silence from the prophesy to arrival, we can have hope that no matter how long we wait or how long we think God is taking, He is always on time. His time. We truly have no reason to doubt Him. Im so thankful He chose to love us first and loved us so much to move in and draw near. 

The King is Here. 

God is with us by Casting Crowns: https://youtu.be/0rBj9je_27Q