Have You Considered Lent?

In today's incredibly busy world, slowing down and taking time to focus on the Lord seems to be a very difficult task. Most of the youth I teach on Sunday can't ever seem to find that time. Honestly, I find it hard as well. My time for seeking the Lord in study and prayer comes early in the morning, before my family is awake. That works well, so long as I maintain the discipline to get up. But, really more to the point, do you find it difficult to seek the Lord throughout the day, or is He somewhat of an afterthought? I'll admit that most of my days seem to be very fast, consumed with the things I am responsible for. I find little time for reflection or prayer during the day. In an attempt to correct that situation, many Protestants find that fasting is a wonderful tool to refocus the mind on Christ.

Other church traditions also contain some form of the fasting tool. It was used in Jesus day as well. In fact, Jesus fasted. I am not going to get into a lengthy explanation of the theology here, or recount Jesus works. All I want to do is ask if you have ever considered Lent?

I am not advocating that simply giving up some trivial thing for forty days is going to bring you closer to Christ. Nor am I advocating that if you do not have a relationship with the Living God that sacrifice of any size will impress Him. Only a saving faith in Jesus Christ will do that. However, if you do have that relationship, taking something out of your life that consumes a portion of your day, whether food or activity, will give you cause to pause and consider something else in its place; namely Christ.

Take a moment and think about something that takes up your attention on a daily basis. For me, habitually cruising the internet is one such activity. I am choosing to forgo any internet activity other than that required for work, or reflection during Lent. I am choosing to pray and meditate on Christ during that time. I encourage you to take a look at what you could forgo so that you might also spend the time in prayer. In the end, our relationships with the risen Lord will be stronger.

Have you considered Lent?