When You Rush a Holy Moment

Last year, our family took a trip to the Smoky Mountains. One my “must-dos” was to go into the National Park and get as high as I could to see those breathtaking views.

The problem?

Too. Many. People.

We waited an hour at the top of the mountain to inch toward the parking lot where you could get out of the car and see.

And there was nowhere to park.

When we realized this, my husband said, “Why don’t you jump out and get a few pictures and catch up with us?”

It was NOT what I had planned.

But it was what I had.

So I did. I jumped out, snapped some pictures, and caught back up with them.

Someday, we’ll go back when they aren’t so busy so we can linger and enjoy the moment more fully. But it reminds me of this upcoming season, when things are often so busy, and we miss these opportunities to linger, to pause, to be.

I don’t want us to miss those sacred moments. I don’t want us to rush through them, either. So what can we do? We’ll explore that together today.

Holidays are Holy Days

Holidays are holy days–sacred times to be with God and be with others. Yet so many times, these moments get rushed, whether of our own accord or the actions of others.

Gift unwrapping goes way too fast.
Food gets eaten too quickly.
We move on to the next party or program before we’re really ready to leave.
Meaningful conversations get interrupted.

We don’t have time to savor or linger.

How can we change that? What can you do to slow down? To recognize those holy moments when they come your way?

Leave Room for the Sacred

I think one of the first things we need to do is slow down and leave margin in our schedules for the holy to happen.

Now, does that mean God can’t show up when we’re busy and running around? Absolutely not. God can show up anytime and anywhere. It’s just that we’re more likely to miss Him when we’re moving so fast.

So leave room for the sacred. Give yourself time to be somewhere, to be fully present, before you have to leave and go somewhere else.

Maybe that means you only go to one party each day. Or you take a break between parties. Or you only have a few gatherings you go to in the first place.

How can you leave yourself some room this holiday season?

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Recognizing the Holy Moment

So we leave room for the sacred, but how do we recognize or acknowledge the holy moment when it comes? When God speaks through a song, or your heart warms seeing the children playing so joyfully, or the stillness of the night outside helps you know God is near?

I’m reminded of how Moses responded when he was standing on holy ground. God commanded him to take off his sandals.

And I wonder if there is something we can do, some action we can take, to signify to ourselves that we recognize we are in a holy place. That we are experiencing a holy moment.

It might very well be appropriate to slip off our shoes. But maybe we decide to light a candle. Or stop chatting. Or close our eyes. Or squeeze a loved one’s hand.

What might it be for you, my friend?

Pursuing the Holy Hush

One tradition I’ve held these past couple of years is to pursue the holy hush instead of the holiday hustle. The big idea is to leave room for stillness, for silence, for these holy moments that appear quicker than you even realize. And believing that we will find God there with us in that holy hush.

If you want to learn more about that, check out episodes 92 and 138.

Journal Prompt: How can you savor the sacredness of the holiday season?

Your journal prompt for this week is, how can you savor the sacredness of the holiday season? You can actually think about this in a couple of different ways.

First, what can you do before the holidays really begin? Think about your schedule, your commitments, and see what you can do to make space for the sacred.

And second, what can you do when you are in the midst of a holy moment? How can you acknowledge that moment before God?

Invitations to Dive Deeper

And if you’d like more support during this holiday season, I have two invitations for you.

Pen Your Way to Peace Workshop

First, I invite you to grab the replay of a holiday workshop that Danielle Roberts and I did last year called Pen Your Way to Peace. This workshop will help you not only proactively create that schedule that will allow you to slow down over the holiday season, but it will also help you journal through some things that might be stealing your joy. You can grab that at lovedoesthat.org/holidayworkshop.

Pre-Holiday Journaling Challenge

Second, if you are listening to this in real time, we just finished our Pre-Holiday Journaling Challenge. This was a week of journaling prompts designed especially for the holiday season. I’m talking short, specific prompts you can walk through each day that will make a world of difference by creating an intentional approach to the holidays.

You might have missed us live, but you can still sign up and go through the challenge on your own, and I really invite you to do that so your holidays aren’t completely overwhelming and chaotic. You can sign up at lovedoesthat.org/holidayjournal.

Here’s to not rushing holy moments, but recognizing God’s presence with us there.

Prayer

God, it feels like there are so many moments when we just pass You by, unaware that You’re even there. Help us to recognize Your presence. Help us to slow down, linger, and pay attention. We don’t want to miss You. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

RELATED EPISODES:

• Episode 92: Practicing the Holy Hush Instead of the Holiday Hustle: Intentionally Inviting Moments of Deep Silence
• Episode 138: Holy Hush or Holiday Hustle: Which Will You Choose?
• Episode 139: 3 Truths to Remember During a Difficult Holiday Season (Re-Release)

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