Like many election years, 2024 has been a year filled with problems, tension, and uncertainty. In the midst of all the metaphorical ice and snow, peace can feel like a far-off dream—completely out of reach. As I think about the second week of Advent (the one with the Peace Candle), I remind myself that peace is not necessarily the absence of conflict but rather the presence of faith in the One who lifts us up when we fall.
In Matthew 1:18-21, Joseph experiences precisely this. His whole world is going down in flames after his bride-to-be tells him she is pregnant with someone else’s baby! How could this be? I imagine he spiraled into a dark place full of ice and snow. What else would one do with news like that? Just as he is on the brink of a breakdown, God speaks.
“Do not be afraid!” the angel tells Joseph. “What has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit!” This divine encounter teaches Joseph what we all must learn: God meets us in our lowest moments. His response shows us how faith leads to peace. He lifts his eyes from the ice and snow in which he finds himself and chooses to trust God. When he does so—he finds peace. Not because he suddenly understood, in fact, I’d wager he was still confused more than anyone, but because when he lifted his eyes, God was there with open arms, ready to lift him back up.
Today, as we wade through the conflict and fear all around us, some of us may go down—hard. But we, too, can lift our eyes to find God waiting with open arms to lift us up again! We may feel like this is the end, but when we place our lives into his hands, we find the peace that comes only from faith—peace that isn’t reliant on perfect circumstances but is rooted in God’s unchanging promises.
As we prepare to celebrate the day that He was born, we can find peace in the truth that the future is secure in God’s arms. In the midst of all the ice and snow, our hearts can stay warm because they are filled with His hope. When we lift our eyes to Him, we experience peace that outshines the darkest days.
“When I go down, I lift my eyes to You
I won’t look very far, ’cause You’ll be there
With open arms to lift me up again”
—Matthew Theissen (When I Go Down)