Second Week of Advent - 2025

Week 2 | The Glory of Hope | Romans 5:1-5

The glory of hope is characterized by the one who begins to see the way through. There is a way through the pain and suffering, and we can see that perseverance will give way to character and a deeper trust in God. Only the glory of hope can empower us to endure.

December 7 • Being Ashamed

Looking back over our lives, or even just the past day, it is easy to find moments we are not proud of, decisions we regret, embarrassing actions and words we wish we could take back. Sin, worry, shame, guilt: these all run deep. You are not alone in them. These are the places where we must wrestle with trusting God’s word the most. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions. [Psalm 25:5] Can God really forgive? Does God really overlook?  

Trusting in God may seem like the easy way out. It isn’t. The easy way out is pretending that none of the problems in your life cause you pain and grief. The hard way is to admit our faults and failures and place our burdens before God. The hard way is trusting that you will be accepted despite your brokenness. Cast all your anxieties on God, because he cares for you. [1 Peter 5]

God promises to move you past the past, to lead you into the future, to bring joy into the present. God’s friendship is for those who are willing to walk the humble path of full trust and submission. God’s forgiveness is for those who bring their sins before him and lay down the weight of their souls. There are plenty of reasons to be ashamed. But your hope in God is never one of them. You have a place where you belong. Never be ashamed of that.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust.

Do not let me be put to shame. Do not let my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame.

Psalm 25:1-3

December 8 • A Full Life

The best time to be filled is when we are empty. We don’t end up diluting ourselves with half-hearted hopes and decent intentions. When we recognize that there is no good way forward for us, we can finally submit to the way forward that God is offering us. Can these dry bones live? [Ezekiel 37] Of course they can, but not by our strength or power. Before we are willing to believe this promise, we often must get to the point of admitting that “our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; indeed, we are cut off.” [Ezekiel 37:11] God responds to this kind of desperate honesty. I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And you shall know that I am the Lord. [Ezekiel 37:12]

 There are pains in this world that we cannot overcome, things that steal our joy and destroy our peace. None of us can escape death, but maybe something worse than death has already broken into your life. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. But I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. [John 10:10] There is an enemy who wants to see your downfall. But God is on your side. God wants to lift you out of this and fill you fully with the life that only God can give. Do not let emptiness ruin you. Allow God to fill the void with his fullness. 

 God’s promises begin to be fulfilled when we hold onto them and live right now, in the lowest and most hollow places, by hope. The certain trust that God will do what he says begins to fill our hearts with peace.

 My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. [Psalm 23] 

December 9 • Transformed by Judgment

God’s judgment is not meant to destroy us. It is meant to destroy the things within us that keep us from God. Insecurity cannot handle the pressure of judgment. Pride cannot stand being called out. Selfishness cannot stay when there is no more selfish gain. And God only knows how beautiful our lives will be when those things disappear.

 The judgment we normally experience brings division, not unity. It makes enemies, not friends. But God’s judgment calls out the division within us to bring unity to us as individuals. God’s judgment brings clarity to the confusion. It brings light into our darkness. Through it, we can finally see what is truly good and evil, right and wrong- even when it pertains to our hearts.

 We can give up or give in, but we cannot escape God’s judgment. We can push it away or keep it at arm’s length, but that will only keep us living in fear. Welcome the judgment of God. Hear God’s truth. God does not desire your downfall. God wants you to be at peace, strong, and capable of doing the things you’ve been given to do. 

 Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’“Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength.” [Isaiah 45:21-23]

December 10 • Integrating Anger

Experiencing anger is part of being human. Our anger can reveal what’s most important to us. Oftentimes, it betrays our own selfishness, pride, or insecurity. But if you pay closer attention to yourself, you may see glimpses of holiness hidden in your anger. Be angry and do not sin. Ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent [Psalm 4].

 Anger is a pathway to experience the inner workings of God. Pay attention to your anger, because even God gets angry. The anger of the Lord was kindled [Exodus 3] when someone tried to get out of God’s calling for them. Zeal for your house consumes me [Psalm 69] described Jesus’ anger toward those who tried to turn God’s house into an opportunity to make money. Our anger can be led astray by our will and desires. But God’s anger leads to righteousness: the wrongs are made right.  

 Integrate your anger. Wait in your anger. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. [James 1] Left to your anger, things can easily be made worse. If you ignore your anger, you may miss doing what is right and good. If you allow your anger to burn unchecked, it may destroy you or your relationships. Allow anger to be changed into a burning desire to pursue what God wants and eliminate what is wrong in you.

December 11 • Coming to Peace

Peace doesn’t come through settling for less than what we know is good, but rather settling our hearts in Jesus. We often experience more unrest than peace, and for many of us, peace feels like a fantasy more than a lived reality. We have experienced enough turmoil to know where not to go. But do we know how to get somewhere different, somewhere better?

Even in hard times, we put one foot in front of the other. But not all forward movement moves us forward. We cannot go to a place we do not know. You were strangers to the promises of God, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace. [Ephesians 2:12-14] Our ultimate destination is not a place, but a person. We don’t need to know where. We need to know who. Jesus is our peace. We’ll be in the right place, so long as we are with him.

 Allow the pain and difficulties to re-route you to that place. Bring your frustrations, worries, and pains to Jesus. And as you follow him through it all, celebrate how you have been led to real and lasting peace. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6-7]


December 12 • Overflowing Heart

Your situation is not outside of God’s sight. Your life is not beyond God’s grasp. Do not be overly concerned about making things right. If everything were perfect, would things be that different within you? Would your heart be more righteous and just? Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. [Luke 6:45] Our complaints, worries, and frustrations betray a worried, anxious, and self-righteous heart. 

 A person after God’s own heart is fine shepherding a few sheep while others go off to war. A person after God’s own heart is at peace waiting for God to put him in the right place. A person after God’s own heart is able to endure the wilderness for years, able to handle being pursued and threatened. 

 That is not to say there aren’t problems out there. There are many evil hearts in this world, and some of them are working their will against you. You may be going through something that is unfair, unjust, or even evil. But that does not give us an excuse to repay evil for evil. Rather, overcome evil with good. [Romans 12]

 This is the confounding reality of God: God has overcome evil with goodness, not merely vengeance. God’s heart overflows with love for you. And out of the overflow of God’s heart, Jesus has come. He overcame all unfairness, bitterness, envy, and evil by taking it all in and pouring out instead his Spirit. Jesus is making things right, and he has decided to begin in just the right place: your heart. 

 I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you. [Ezekiel 36:26-27]

December 13 • Taking Your Time

God is not in a hurry, even when we are. Everything looks different outside the constraints of time, emotions, and worries. You have the time right now to work on your heart. So, use it wisely. Don’t miss an opportunity because of pride or ego. Don’t make a hasty decision because of fear or anxiety. Teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom. [Psalm 90:12] 

 If we hurry, we are only hurrying to the grave. Life is lived here and now, so take the time and do what this moment requires. Who knows what’s around the corner? Don’t rush to what’s next. Sit here, in the pain or boredom, and trust that God will move at the right time. 

 Life moves fast. Time doesn’t stop ticking. But slowing down allows us to process what is really going on in our hearts and minds in a way that contradicts the structures of the world. Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. [Romans 12] Being “busy” is not a virtue in God’s economy. Renewal and regeneration require us to slow down and take our time.

 Time is not money. It is much more valuable. Your value is determined by God alone, and not by your paycheck, title, status, or anything else. And Jesus thought leaving eternity and giving up his life was worth it for you. Jesus entered into time, into normal life, into the same moments that stress or worry or overwhelm you, to set you free from it. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand. [Psalm 31:14-15]