Chronos verses Kairos.

I didn’t know how to put these concepts into words, until I read a beautiful book by Rachel S. Gerber called “Ordinary Miracles, Awakening to the Holy Work of Parenting.” Although it is written for young moms in the trenches of infancy, toddlerhood, and preschoolers, Chronos and Kairos are strong concepts that can be applied at all stages of life.

Chronos is the time that we live in here on earth. It is time told by seconds, minutes, and hours. It is the time that counts when you hit another red light on the way to a meeting. It is the time that ticks while your boss laboriously details an otherwise simple concept. It is the time that drags while you wait in line at Wal-Mart with your kid, or the kid behind you melting down because they just want to go home and have a snack. It is the time that we so often wish away.

Kairos, on the other hand is God’s time. It is time with no end. It is the time when we are able to stand in the midst of our day, no matter how seemingly unpleasant, and get a real perspective of the way things really are. It is the time when we lose track of our mundane “Chronos” moments and take notice of how God is working around us. Kairos steps back, takes a breath, and really connects with people. Kairos puts down the phone, the laundry, the dishes, the remote, and finds joy in family.

Little Children understand Kairos. They enjoy every moment. Getting up in the morning is a game. Eating breakfast is a great accomplishment. Even when playing with the same toys and reading same stories day after day, little children have enthusiasm that adults would reserve for something “new.” And little children take time to love all of the time.

God is challenging me to let Kairos take over more often. God is making me keenly aware of the hasty distracted way I live my life. He is calling out for Kairos, for His time.

Rachel Gerber states:

In Kairos “Love holds. Love whispers deep and long, cutting through the chaos and reminding me of what really matters in the… madness. It is how we love, and who we hold onto. All the time. Kairos holds tight.”

I hope that this week, and in this spring season that is peppered with event after event, that you are able to pause in Kairos time. That you are able to see past the madness to what God is doing in your life, and in your family.

Categories: Jennifer Chlumsky

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