Lent, the time of year where we all give something up...you hear people talking about their "sacrifice," you see it plastered on Facebook. But what is Lent....truly? And what is our heart throughout Lent and with our fasting and sacrifices?
Lent is the 46 days (40 without counting Sundays) between Ash Wednesday (which is today) and Resurrection Sunday. It is a time of self reflection, self denial, and repentance. It is a time where we desire true repentance, true changing of self, true turning from the old and beginning anew. It is a time where we can take away from our lives and replace with time and thoughts on Him. It is a time where we can become more like Him as He went into the desert and was tempted for 40 days and came out of the desert still the Perfect Son of God and Son of Man.
Lent it not merely a time where we deny ourselves chocolate, or sweets, or Facebook, or secular music, or alcohol because what is our heart in the denial? Are we denying ourselves these things because we want to lose a little more weight? Because we feel we have to give something up for these 40 days? Are we replacing our eating chocolate with prayers? Are we replacing our time on Facebook with time in the Word, being still before Him, and serving others? Is it merely going through the motions of fasting from something we enjoy because we are supposed to? Or is it because we truly desire a change in our lives and a turning away from sin? Are we grieved by the sin in our lives and desire to spend this time with him? If we are not using our denials and fasting in order to spend time in reflection, repentance, service and giving towards others, then our hearts are far from the truth of Lent.
A friend of mine posted a link to her church's devotional for the season of Lent. In the opening it states, "You can never replace something with nothing. With that in mind, it is better to not be so caught up in the idea of giving things up for Lent as much as leaning into the disciplines of grace— prayer, fasting, acts of mercy, meditating on the Word of God, the sacraments and the communion of the saints."
As we enter into Ash Wednesday and into the season of Lent, may we not focus so much on the denying of self for the sake of denying of self. May we not focus as much on what we are giving up as opposed to what we are gaining in time with our Father. May we understand the gravity of our sin but may we truly see the grace and mercy of our Saviour. May we prepare our hearts not only for Easter Sunday and the celebration of the Risen Son but may we prepare our hearts for the rest of this year as we truly desire to become anew in Him. May He guide us through this season as He was in the desert for 40 days, may we resist the temptations of this world and may Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day come quickly!
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