Tea Time for Your Soul logo


Order Debi Newman's paperback books and Kindle ebooks on Amazon


Select A Topic:

 

 

 

Dr. Newman Amazon books
Back to Main Topics Page | Amazon Author Page | Subscribe to Emails | Report Broken Link | Site Map | Home


Advent is About Patience

How have you been feeling this Advent season? Have you had regular times of stillness and wonder about God and what He did by sending His Son to earth as a baby? Are you growing spiritually after each Christmas service you attend? Are you smiling more this season? Are your getting more rest or less? Are you able to schedule your regular exercise and eat healthy food?

I can relate to you if you have to admit that you find yourself losing groundrather than making spiritual progress during the Advent season. Do you ever wonderwhy? After all your attempts to make this Christmas different from last yearyou yell at your husband, you spend too much money, you over-commit to parties.It's not just you. You have a cunning adversary who is constantly looking totrip you up. Satan tempts us when we are weak. I know that I can grow spirituallyweak during the Advent season. If I don’t watch out, I will become a primetarget for Satan’s schemes.

Jesus was weak when Satan tempted Him. Satan waited until Jesus was the mosttired and hungry before he set in after Him out in the wilderness. Be aware,your adversary the devil is constantly looking for ways to trip you up. Don’tyou just know that he is behind the crazy mess that Christmas has become forso many? We are told in 1 Peter 5:8 to be alert to the devil. Be alert that hewants to steal the love, joy and peace of Christmas. The best way you can keepSatan from stealing your Christmas is to take some time to sit still and takein what Advent has to teach us.

We not only need to be alert to Satan and find time for stillness, but we alsoneed to heed Jesus’ example in how to resist him. Jesus used God's Wordsfrom the Bible to fight off the temptations Satan brought before Him. God’sWord is the best possible way to fight off temptation.

Here are some words to help you fight Satan during Advent. When you catch thatnasty spirit Christmas brings out in the post office line the mad dash for themost in-demand toy quote Psalm 37:7:

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

When you get overwhelmed by the parties, baking and things you need to do, remember Isaiah 40:30-33:

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagle; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

When you find yourself being angry with the people in your household, remember that your precious Heavenly Father is slow to anger and He can help you be that way too:

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. (Exodus 34:6).

It will take the power of the Holy Spirit to give you the patience you need to experience an Advent that brings glory to the Father. Remember, it’s not the Grinch who stole Christmas, but you do have an enemy who wants to keep you from fully receiving the message of God’s love this Advent Season.

 

Respond to Dr. Newman's article


Copyright © 2001-2021. Deborah R. Newman. All Rights Reserved.

All material on this website is copyrighted. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication (or article) may be reproduced without written permission.
Request permission to reprint an article.