Lent

Okay, so it’s been a couple months since I’ve posted, but I want to talk about lent for a bit. For those who don’t know, lent is a period of 40 days where Christians “fast” from things that cause us to not grow closer in our relationship with God. In place of what you’re fasting from, you focus more on Jesus.

This year, for lent, I’m doing a weekly thing where every week, I fast from something different. I was planning on giving up Instagram, but what drew me in about changing it up is that I’m able to “suffer” -so to speak- in a different way every 7 days while also outwardly acting in a different way every 7 days. For example, the first week was self indulgence, meaning no buying sweets and treats for yourself. So instead of buying things for yourself, you take that time to bless someone else or buy something for someone else. Doing this has really opened my eyes to see how easily attached I become to things- and I mean things. Nothing important at all. Just items.

After that beginning week, my first reaction was to go out and buy a bunch of stuff. But that would defeat the whole purpose. I remember last lent when I gave up Facebook, I almost got addicted right away as soon as I got back on. Then I have to think: What’s the point of lent if I’m just going to get all motivated not to indulge myself in these things, then all the sudden fall right back into the trap that gave me a problem in the first place? There is none.

Lent made me think of that “camp high” you get during a Christian camp. In that environment full of Christians who love and support each other, it feels like you could change the earth’s rotation if you wanted to! But as soon as you enter into the real world again, you find yourself forgetting everything you learned, and not even bothering to care about changing who you are.

So how do you really change? How can I avoid that single “camp high”? I’m glad you asked.

I’ve found out through the course of lent, that those outward actions (blessing other people, taking time out of your day to make someone else’s day), I get excited and fired up about the next week’s opportunities. I’ve also found that reading my Bible (*big shocker*) is a constant reminder of what Jesus did for me and that motivates me to be a light for him. Also, along with reading my Bible, praying (anytime, anywhere) makes me feel like a helpless child again falling at Jesus’ feet not even able to fathom the love he has for me.

Anyways, you probably didn’t read this to hear a lecture, but I just wanted to share with you a little bit about my lent experiences and how I’m slowly, but SURELY growing so much in my relationship with God.