When you are anticipating something do you get knots in your stomach or butterflies? I guess that may not be a fair question because it depends on what you are waiting for. In this first week of Advent I'm anticipating lots of things spiritually. I'm also anticipating events in our family life over the next couple of weeks. A visit from family members (definitely butterflies!) for fun holiday events and simply great time together. My husband facing a long awaited surgery to hopefully fix a chronic pain issue (some knots are rattling around - will his recovery go well? Will the pain actually lessen? many anxious moments with this one). A change in the weather (butterflies and knots!) I always love the promise of cold weather, it refreshes my soul, but knots pop up because weather can really throw kinks in plans. Starting a new job (overactive butterflies) this one really excites me and the anticipation is positive, exhilarating and such a God-filled process. Some would have knots in their stomach over starting a job with a start up non-profit, but I believe so totally in the program and it is as if it was custom designed for me, so the anticipation of this one is really good! My list could go on and on. What I would like you to do today is find a few moments to be totally alone and ponder what things you are anticipating and how you react to them.
As usual I have to go to my 1828 Webster's Dictionary to expand my thoughts on words.
Here are the definitions of anticipation:
1. The act of taking up, placing, or considering something before the proper time, in natural order; prevention.
2. Foretaste; previous view or impression of what is to happen afterward; as the anticipation of the joys of heaven.
3. Previous notion; preconceived opinion, produced in the mind, before the truth is known; slight previous impression.
When you anticipate Christmas do you have a view of what it will look like? Will your home, meal, relationships and circumstances look like what you see on TV? When you anticipate what your work day will be like today do you make assumptions on how things will go, even before you are sure of what is on the schedule? When we anticipate we put our own view or idea, that starts in our mind, and apply it to the circumstance. I know sometimes I put so much time into anticipating something that when it happens there is a let down or disappointment because I had such grand ideas. But the opposite is also true - sometimes I am so anxious in my anticipation that I fear the worst, the knots become boulders in my stomach but when the situation or event comes around it is so very different than I had worked myself up to expect.
Anticipation. Perhaps a better thing for all of us to do as we travel to the manger instead of so much time in our mind, so much effort in our anticipation, we could replace it with prayer. To open our mind and heart to listen for a word from God. To see everything in a new and fresh way. In my home something as simple as moving an item of decor or switching the furniture arrangement gives me a new perspective. I try to do that with my spiritual practices too. Instead of anticipating that the same Scripture will be read as the advent wreath is lit at church I listen instead to the words that are spoken - what do they mean to me today? Instead of saying "oh, I know all those verses about Mary, Joseph and the birth" I read them again and ask myself what someone would learn from them if they had never heard or read them before. It is easy to fall into anticipating what I expect is coming. This year I am taking the harder and sometimes scarier road of looking at things differently.
Some things will still put those knots in my stomach as I wait. Perhaps instead of rocks they are simply cocoons with beautiful butterflies waiting to emerge and surprise me with something unexpected. I will still anticipate, it's hard to stop. When I find myself getting overly anxious or too excited my plan is to stop and pray. To ask God "what new thing do you have for me to learn in this waiting?"
How will you handle anticipation today?
Philippians 4:6 Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ. NLT
Prayer focus: Pray for those experiencing anxiety. If it is you- pray specifically for God to give you peace rather than anxious thoughts.
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