When I look only to myself, I stumble.
My words falter.
My thoughts scatter.
I trip over what I try to say.
That is what happens when I try to control the message,
when I depend on my own wisdom.
God’s voice cannot be heard
when I am busy listening to myself.
His direction cannot be obeyed
when I am chasing my own way.
But Advent teaches us something different.
It is a season of turning—
turning our hearts away from ourselves,
and turning them toward God.
The prophet Malachi tells us:
“Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me…
He is like a refiner’s fire.”
God purifies.
God prepares.
God sends.
And in the Gospel,
John is born.
Not named by human tradition,
but by God’s command.
His father’s tongue is loosed,
and he blesses God.
That is what happens
when we stop looking at ourselves
and start looking at God.
His word refines us.
His Spirit frees us.
His direction becomes clear.
Advent is our time of refining.
Our time of listening.
Our time of preparing for Christ.
Nothing is impossible for God.
He turns silence into praise.
He turns fear into rejoicing.
He turns stumbling words into testimony.
So each day I pray:
Come, Holy Spirit.
Turn my eyes away from myself.
Let me see You.
Speak through me,
that I may proclaim Christ boldly.
For surely,
the hand of the Lord is with us.
Pray
Lord,
when I look to myself, I stumble.
When I turn to You, I am refined.
Send Your Spirit upon me.
Free my tongue to bless Your name.
Guide my heart to Your direction.
In this Advent season,
let me see You in the ordinary,
and proclaim Christ boldly.
the hand of the Lord is with us.
Amen.
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