Advent Is More Than a Countdown — It’s an Invitation to Prepare Our Hearts

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Advent, from the Latin adventus meaning “arrival,” is a four-week season practiced across many Christian traditions as a time of reflection and preparation leading up to Christmas. Emerging as early as the fourth century, early observances emphasized both Christ’s first coming in Bethlehem and His promised return. Historically marked by repentance and anticipation, Advent later unified into the tradition we know today—one centered on worship, weekly candle lighting, and the spiritual themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. Beyond the church, Advent has also shaped cultural practices such as Advent wreaths and calendars that help families mark the days until Christmas.As we enter this season of waiting, how can we slow down enough to truly prepare room for Christ—not just in our celebrations, but in the deepest places of our lives?

‘Tis the season, am I right? In the blink of an eye, Thanksgiving was here for .2 seconds, and Christmas has arrived. All around us, lights are twinkling, store signs are flashing, and TV commercials are singing. And just for kicks and giggles, if you haven’t gone into Hobby Lobby, it’s a Winter Wonderland! Ornaments in every shape, size, and stature you could desire, and wreaths galore. Thanksgiving decor was gone before Halloween arrived, and now Valentine’s Day mixes with snowflakes and fake flurries. 

We live in a world where the commercial Christmas rush is all the rage. It seems that we never have enough time to participate in all the activities, form all the new traditions, buy all the gifts, and get ready for Santa. And while millions of individuals celebrate Advent each year, perhaps we’re all celebrating the wrong way. Instead of resting in the quiet stillness and historic meaning of Advent, we forsake it for a 21st-century definition. Instead of delighting in its ancient and 4th-century roots, dwelling on themes of hope, peace, joy, and love, we speed up and through. But what if we were invited to try something a bit more meaningful? Slower? Down to earth?

As life speeds up, Advent invites us to slow down. So what does it mean to “prepare Him room” in our everyday lives? 

Get Ready for the Arrival

According to the Latin root for Advent, this word comes from adventus, meaning arrival. In the early church, these practices or weeks focused on repentance and the expectation of Christ’s return. Individuals prepared their hearts and homes for when Jesus would come. The eternal Savior they’d been promised. 

While we already know that Jesus has come, we also still wait. We wait for His second coming when He will come again. Today, this waiting includes modern expressions of wreaths, candles, calendars, devotionals, and Bible readings. Sadly, culture has even tried to steal this thunder of peace. Advent calendars have become a commercial event as a $4 billion dollar industry, completely forsaking the point. From chocolate to Chanel or cheddar, we’ve exchanged a sacred space for a powerful marketing tool.