I’m too tired.
I’m too weak.
I’m too busy.

Sound familiar? In these pre-Christmas weeks, many of us feel excited but exhausted, happy but harried. Every day seems to bring about yet another task to complete, party to attend, or gift to buy. Our family relationships may shine in this season, or we may feel like the holidays simply cast a harsh light on the fractures that keep us from gathering together peacefully.

Whether our Christmas Days will be marked by lighthearted fun, the grief of an empty chair at the table, or the chaos of relatives who can’t be in the same room without arguing, worship is possible. And it’s much more likely to happen on December 25th if we allow the Holy Spirit to stir joy in our hearts now, during the Advent season.

In "Don’t Waste the Waiting," Dena Dyer reflects on the biblical prophetess, Anna, who was widowed after only seven years of marriage. After her husband died, Anna didn’t leave the temple. She spent the remainder of her life worshiping, fasting, and praying. As an elderly woman, she saw the infant Jesus when he was presented in the temple.

"Instead of waiting out her last years with worry, Anna stayed connected to God and His people," writes Dyer. "She was fruitful, and God multiplied her act of obedience."

Let’s not waste our season of waiting. Like Anna, may we allow the Holy Spirit to replace our worry with worship, and may we be ever ready to celebrate the Savior.