.png)
Advent Peace When Christmas Feels Heavy
- Ruth Hovsepian
- 15 hours ago
- 6 min read
The second week of Advent is all about peace.
But if we’re honest, “peace” might feel like the last word you’d use for this season.
There are gifts to buy, family tensions simmering under the surface, empty chairs at the table, secret struggles you’re not ready to say out loud. While the world is posting perfectly curated Christmas moments, you might be thinking:
“I love Jesus… but I’m not okay.”
If that’s you, you’re exactly who I’m writing to today. I believe God has Advent peace when Christmas feels heavy—not just for “together” Christians, but for tender, tired, recovering ones like us.
Advent Peace When Christmas Feels Heavy
Traditionally, the second week of Advent centers on peace and the second candle on the wreath is often called the Peace candle. It’s a beautiful picture:
Light, slowly pushing back the darkness.
But the reality of December can look more like:
Anxious scrolling through your bank account.
Dreading a complicated family gathering.
Trying to “do it all” while feeling emotionally flat.
Numbing out with distraction, food, drink, or secret sin because it all feels like too much.
If that’s you, I want you to hear this clearly:
You don’t have to feel peaceful to draw near to the Prince of Peace.
Advent isn’t a performance review. It’s an invitation. Not to a perfect, calm, Hallmark-movie December—but to Jesus as you are.
You’re Not the Only One Struggling This Christmas
Let me pull back the curtain a bit.
There were years when I was lighting candles in church, singing “Silent Night,” and living a storm inside.
On the outside, I was the “good Christian woman” who knew all the right verses and church words. On the inside, I was tangled up in addiction, secret sin, and deep shame. Christmas didn’t make that disappear. In some ways, it made everything feel worse, because I thought:
“Everyone else is joyful. What’s wrong with me?”
I carried the weight of:
Divorce
Addiction
Sexual sin
Depression
Those words felt like they disqualified me from being “a real Christian,” especially at Christmas.
But here’s what I know now:
Jesus did not come for my polished, put-together self. He came for the woman who was falling apart.
He came for the woman who sat in the dark, crying on the bathroom floor, feeling like a hypocrite. He came for the exhausted, ashamed, angry, numb version of me.
And He comes for you, too—right where you are in this second week of Advent.
What the Bible Really Means by “Peace on Earth”
We often hear “peace on earth” and imagine a calm, conflict-free life. No family issues, no grief, no relapse, no anxiety.
But the peace the Bible speaks of is deeper than that.
Luke 2:14 – “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
This isn’t a promise of easy circumstances; it’s a promise of God’s favor and presence with us in the mess.
John 14:27 – Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
The world’s peace depends on everything going right.
Jesus’ peace holds you when everything feels wrong.
Philippians 4:6–7 – “Do not be anxious about anything… and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
God’s peace “guards” us—like a shield—even when our understanding is still catching up.
So if your life is not calm right now, that does not mean you’ve failed Advent.
Peace in Scripture is not the absence of storms. It is the presence of Jesus in the boat with you.
Simple Ways to “Prepare Him Room” When Your Heart Is Heavy
When you’re overwhelmed, you don’t need a long Christian to-do list. You need simple, gentle ways to make a little space for Jesus.
Here are a few ideas for this second week of Advent:
1. A 5-Minute Breath Prayer Each Day
If your brain is too tired for long prayers, try this:
As you breathe in, pray:
“Lord Jesus, You are my peace.”
As you breathe out, pray:
“Calm my anxious heart.”
Set a timer for five minutes. That’s it. Let your racing thoughts bump into this simple prayer over and over.
2. Sit with One Verse About Peace
Choose one verse for this week (maybe John 14:27 or Philippians 4:7) and keep coming back to it.
Write it on a sticky note near your sink.
Set it as your phone background.
Read it before bed, even if you’re half-asleep.
Let that one verse be your “Advent reading plan” if that’s all you can handle.
You don’t need to do more to receive peace—you need to return to the One who already offers it.
3. Name What’s Heavy—Honestly
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is tell the truth.
Take a few minutes and write down, “Lord, this is what feels heavy right now…” Don’t edit it. Don’t make it sound holy. Just be honest.
Shame thrives in the dark. Peace often begins with honest confession—not just of sin, but of pain, fear, and disappointment.
4. Reach Out to One Safe Person
Advent can be painfully lonely, especially if you’re:
Walking through recovery
Grieving a loss
Struggling with hidden sin
Ask God to show you one safe person you can text or call this week. You don’t have to share everything. You can start with:
“Hey, this season feels heavy. Would you pray for me?”
If you’re in addiction or secret sin right now, this might also be your week to reach out for practical help—a recovery group, a counselor, a pastor, or a trusted friend.
5. Release the Need to “Do Christmas Right”
You do not have to:
Attend every gathering
Make every tradition happen
Manufacture a magical atmosphere for everyone else
Ask the Lord:
“Jesus, what can I gently lay down this week?”
Sometimes the most peaceful thing you can do is say no—and let your Advent look quieter, simpler, and less “perfect” than the internet says it should.
A Prayer for the Second Week of Advent (Peace)
Lord Jesus,
You are my Prince of Peace. You see the parts of this season that feel loud, heavy, and lonely. You see the secret battles, the grief, the fear, the temptation to numb out and run away.
Tonight, I invite You into the mess of my real life.
Guard my heart and mind with Your peace that passes understanding.
Give me courage to be honest—with You and with at least one safe person.
Show me what to lay down, and what small, simple step to take with You today.
I don’t feel peaceful, but I choose to trust that You are my peace.
Prepare my heart to make room for You, even here, even now.
In Your name, Jesus,
Amen.
If This Is You, You’re Not Alone
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Ruth, that’s me…”—I want you to know:
I’ve sat in the dark places, too. I’ve been the woman who smiled in public and broke down in private. And yet, in that place, Jesus met me. He is still meeting me, day by day, as I walk the long, beautiful road of recovery and freedom.
You don’t have to fix yourself before you come to Him. You come as you are—and He begins the work of peace in you.
Keep Walking with Me
If this post encouraged you and you want to go deeper:
Explore my books (including JOY and my Advent devotional Prepare Him Room) here: /books
Listen to honest, faith-filled conversations on the podcast: /podcast
If you’d like me to speak to your group or church about recovery, discipleship, or Advent hope, visit: /speaking
Need to reach out personally? You can contact me here: /contact
You are loved. You are seen. And even if Christmas feels heavy, Advent peace is still for you.
Related Posts
You can add or adjust these to match your actual slugs:
Comments