"I sought to please him anyway I could, and since there were no riches I could give to him whose coffers hold the sun and moon, I'd give instead by taking from myself."(F. Buechner "Listening to Your Life" p.67)
Last Wednesday began the church season of Lent. It is a season of self-examination, through fasting, prayer and self-denial. For a lot of people who grew up in the church, you were told to "give something up for Lent." As a kid this always somehow seemed to involve candy. And of course the prize at the end of Lent was that Easter basket full of candy.
As an adult I moved away from giving things up for Lent. It seemed to me to be foolishness to give something up unless you truly meant to not start doing it again as soon as Easter arrived. I suppose if I had an addiction other than food, Lent would be a time to give up smoking or drinking, with the hope to not start up again.
I tend to fall though into a different way of acting during Lent. I prefer to take something on. What is missing in my routine that will empower me to be better physically, mentally or spiritually? What habit would I love to have 40 days to develop so that it becomes something I really look forward to and gets me closer to God and who God wants me to be.
Do you have a Lenten discipline? Is it something you can keep going throughout the year? Or is it time to rethink how you use these 40 days?
Blessings,
Ed
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