The cyclical lie that I find myself repeating is, “Shouldn’t I know this by now?”

This is the first line of the third chapter in my book. I wrote these words years ago at this point, and I still find myself feeling the same way.

Somehow, time seems to continue to pass more quickly.

Yet, at the same time, we find ourselves still kind of “stuck” in the same spaces, don’t we? It’s like in the movies when the character is standing still but everything around them is zooming past in one big blur.

What is it about this particular season that seems to bring about all the feels? The good ones, the not so good ones.

If we have experienced loss, it seems to magnify right about now.

If we’re walking through mental or physical health struggles, they seem to just yell so much louder.

If we’ve been waiting… the waiting seems to elongate, stretch; and the silence somehow becomes more deafening.

Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

There are a million reasons why Jesus came to earth, and came to earth as a baby. For our salvation and redemption, yes. To truly become Emmanuel, God with us; yes.

But one sneaky way that we often miss is the journey that Jesus took. The waiting. King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lion and the Lamb, chose helplessness, lowliness, and thirty years of waiting. He left complete perfection, not only to come save us, but to intentionally wait thirty years to do it.

Thirty years.

We often breeze past this – but think about your situation right now. Maybe how every single day feels like a struggle. Some of you reading this haven’t even lived thirty years yet, let alone waited or prayed for something nearly that long.

I am convinced we can’t grasp the weight of this. Because if we did; if we really understood this kind of waiting – we would have so much more patience, joy and growth.

Jesus came to show us how to be dedicated and patient with God’s process.

There is a line from Hillsong United’s song, Seasons, that I absolutely love. The lyrics are beautiful. There is one line that says, “You could have saved us in a second. Instead you sent a child.” Jesus lived thirty-three years on earth, knowing His end result. He knew the purpose of His time among sinful people would end with the epitome of unfair judgement and cruel persecution. And yet, Jesus was never rushed. He spent His time with people.

Jesus’ entire life was a process.

Why should ours be any different?

I feel you, though. I really do. I feel the tangible tug of war on my heart when it comes to waiting on God and pushing ahead on my own. I see what I want in front of me, and I unintentionally list out all the ways I could work hard enough to reach that finish line. To push through to that new season. To rush out of grief. To jump ahead of God’s timing. But if God pushed us ahead to the front of the line, we would miss out on so much.

Growth. Struggle. Healing. Patience. Wisdom. Faith to be built.

What are you waiting on God for? Where have you been fighting the process that He’s trying to work out in you?

The reality of Christmas encompasses so much. Every year, the weight, the glory, the beauty, the depth – it all roots and grows deeper in my heart.

All I know is this: The Lord of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things, chose complete humility, poverty and obscurity for thirty years. Royalty, godliness and perfection, wrapped up in a hidden life. He was never any less of a King. He was and is Jesus, Lord at His birth. All so that someone He crossed paths with may find healing and salvation. And so that today, right where you stand, you would know that your Savior knows what it’s like to wait. To walk through process.

He is so worthy of His name:

Emmanuel – God with us.