The Sacred Waiting: Finding God in Liminal Space
reflection by Ashley Brooks
Advent is a season of waiting in hope, a time of anticipation. Advent says, “Not yet, but almost.” It’s the journey, not the destination. The time of wondering what’s going to come next. Advent is a season of liminal space: a time of waiting, transition, and transformation.
Although Advent is only four weeks long, it serves as a mirror to other seasons of waiting in our lives. We all pass through life’s waiting room at some time or another. In this space, you may find couples awaiting a marriage or a birth, people who are unhoused or between jobs, folks who are planning for a move across the country, people who have been diagnosed with terminal illness, widows learning to live without their partner.
Liminal space isn’t always comfortable, so it’s no wonder that our culture at large tends to ignore Advent. Our society doesn’t see the value in waiting. Advent and Thanksgiving are swallowed by Christmas, which is rushed out the door in favor of New Year’s goal-setting as soon as the sun sets on December 25th. There is no time or space for waiting in this culture.
Yet God moves in these transitional, in-between spaces if we slow down enough to experience them. Father Richard Rohr writes, “When we embrace liminality, we choose hope over sleepwalking, denial, or despair.” *
During Advent, we are invited to remember that in the waiting—even though our own seasons of waiting may stretch much longer than four weeks—God is present. Much like silence and solitude, settling into a season of waiting can be uncomfortable. It has become a habit for many of us to keep busy, to be efficient, to move onto the next thing. There is no checked off to-do list at the end of time spent embracing liminality.
Can we still trust that God moves in these slow, uncertain moments? What is coming next? How do we prepare our hearts for it? These are the questions Advent invites us to enter into.
Waiting is essential for our souls. It’s a way to slow down, to savor life as it is in the present moment and to hold the tension during times of transition. It’s time dedicated to asking God, “What’s next?” and tuning our ears to truly listen for the answer.
One of the gifts spiritual directors offer to others is their whole presence. There are few places left where people receive the undivided attention of another. This is the sacred work of holding space. In spiritual direction, the waiting is accepted rather than rushed, welcomed rather than avoided. As spiritual companions, directors have the sacred role of walking with others through their seasons of liminality. They offer Advent’s reminder that seasons of waiting can also be filled with hope and joy.
As we enter the Advent season, we all face the same rush of flurrying activity. If you’re looking for ways to honor the liminal spaces in your own life, we invite you to attend our online Sacred Circle gatherings. Sacred Circle is a space for spiritual seekers to find belonging and community, with opportunities for sharing and deep listening. Learn more about upcoming Sacred Circle events here—the next gathering is this Saturday, December 6th.
You’re also invited to learn more about our Sacred Ground membership community. Find opportunities for connection, gain access to resources for spiritual directors, and become an integral part of the community that allows Sacred Ground to continue providing access to the transformative programming that’s at the center of our vision.
Ashley Brooks is a writer and editor with a heart for seeking the sacred in ordinary days. She will graduate with a spiritual direction certificate and a master's degree in Christian Spirituality from Loyola University Chicago in Spring 2026. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband and their four children.
Other Resources:
*Richard Rohr. “Liminal Space.” Center for Action and Contemplation. https://cac.org/daily-meditations/liminal-space/