The Advent season is one of waiting. One aspect of spiritual waiting is to wait faithfully even when growth feels slow and holiness feels fragile. The epistle of James’ image of the farmer patiently watching for the harvest gives us a model of waiting that is not entirely passive, but one that calls us to a posture of safeguarding space for the Spirit to do the Spirit’s work.
In the same way, the process we call “sanctification,” is a slow process of the Spirit, but a process where we have a small role to play in safeguarding space for the Spirit’s work in us and others.
Rather than treating patience as passive or resignation, we are invited to see it as an active form of trust. God is already at work through the Holy Spirit, nurturing small, tender signs of grace in our lives and in one another. Our calling is not to rush, fix, or replace what feels unfinished, but to protect and encourage that growth—especially through our words.
In a world where we are quick to grumble or give up when change doesn’t happen fast enough, what if rejoicing in small beginnings is a faithful way of waiting? It is good news for those who are tempted, like John the Baptist, to take matters into their own hands when hope feels delayed. God is working—and we are invited to notice, trust, and celebrate that work, even when it is still unfolding.
