The Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Dear First Pres SLO Family,

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus, the one who came for us, lived and loved for us, who died for us, and who is alive and returning…for us.

Christmas is everywhere. I can hear the music, see the decorations, and feel the stress of not having enough time to get everything done. Yep, sounds like Christmas.

But we remain in Advent, this season of watching and waiting, of remembering how to wait for the Messiah to appear. None of this comes naturally to us, which is why this season rolls around each year as a reminder. There’s a verse that always comes to mind for me at this time of year. It’s not from an Advent song, at least not intentionally—it’s from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers back in 1981. It goes like this.

The waiting is the hardest part.

Every day you see one more card.

You take it on faith, you take it to the heart.

The waiting is the hardest part.

Every day we look for signs that God is real—that Jesus really is who he says he is. Every day we live in hope that God’s promises will be fulfilled—we take that on faith, and we let it dwell in our hearts.

But it’s the waiting that’s the hardest part.

Advent is about tapping into that feeling of longing that God’s people lived with for centuries before the coming of Christ. We remain Advent people, watching and waiting for the Christ to come back and finish what he started.

The waiting is the hardest part.

Blessings to you and yours as you wait again this year. May this season, and the joy of the Christmas to come, fill your heart and inspire your spirit.

Pastor John