“It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:6-7‬ ‭NLT

This evening was the Blue Christmas service at St. Andrew’s. I found myself sitting in the midst of people longing for hope, for comfort, for healing. And I realized I am one of them. 

Sometimes life just gets hard. Things don’t work out the way you thought they would, a terrible diagnosis comes, pain is dealt out by someone you trusted, or for reasons you cannot fathom you find yourself feeling a little lost and alone. 
And all of this happens in the midst of a season that is – almost manically – focused on joy. 

So we hold this service. To take a deep breath, to focus and reflect, to pray and to think, to admit before God that sometimes life is just hard. And somehow, in the songs sung and the words spoken – we find a peace that passes understanding, a bit of healing, a tender brush of the Holy Spirit. 

I do not find the service an easy one – generally, joy comes to me much more easily than sorrow – but I do find it meaningful. 

Perhaps Geoff said it best when he reminded us that we are not alone. We go through all of these emotions together, as a family of faith and as children of the King. 

What a blessing that is – to know you are not alone, to know others share your pain and grief, to know you are not forgotten or insignificant.  

This Advent, may you find some time for silence and reflection in the midst of the hustle and bustle. May you know peace that passes understanding. May you find yourself surrounded by the people God has given you to travel this road. And may you know that you have never been alone.