Thriving in Ordinary Time
Continuing to Dig Down and Build Up
I love the rhythms of the traditional church calendar and the clarity and focus it gives to our days. Advent carves out a time for preparation and Christmastide is meant for celebration. But this season we are currently entering—after the Christmas festivities have ended and before Lent begins—is simply known as Ordinary Time.
Despite the uninspiring name given to these days, it is worth considering… What does our “ordinary time” look like as followers of Jesus? How are we living day to day? Are we still acutely aware of the arrival of the baby in the manger—or Christ on the cross—when we are not celebrating Christmas or Easter?
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
- Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT)
As I read these words that Paul wrote to the Colossians, I am reminded… We should not be dependent on the festivities and focus of the holidays to grow our faith. We must continue to follow him. We must continue to dig deep and tend our roots. We must continue to mature and build our lives on him.
I love the imagery here of both roots growing DOWN and lives building UP.
The first image is of a tree. Its roots are constantly growing down. We must always, like roots, be seeking nutrients in the soil so that we can continue to grow. This is not something glamorous or exciting that everyone sees happening. This growth happens below the surface. This is the quiet work of seeking the Lord, reading His word, and spending time in prayer so that our souls are nourished consistently. This ongoing work is what feeds us, brings us closer to God, and gives us a strong foundation.
And we are also called to build up. Specifically, to build up on Him. On our firm foundation, we build in a way that others can see the work of Jesus in us. This is the visible part of our growth. But instead of thinking of it as a monument built for others to simply view, imagine it is a purposeful dwelling where Jesus can work in us and through us. We build our lives on him in a way that welcomes and reaches out to others. We add brick-by-brick as we serve in ministry, engage in our community, and care for our family and friends.
And as we lean into these practices… digging down deep to be nourished through our roots, and growing upward and outward in our active faith, we will come out of the winter of ordinary days bearing fruit… fruit that will overflow in its proper season and lead to thankfulness.
So, as we settle into 2026—as perhaps the newness of the year is wearing off, as we become overwhelmed by the mundane January days, as we struggle to set our eyes on Him when there are no bright and shiny ornaments adorning the season—I encourage you to take a moment and consider… How will you intentionally choose to grow down and build up in this season?
This article originally appeared in Grit & Virtue magazine in January 2023.
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