Lent

Lent.  The Lenten season is upon us.  I hadn't given it much thought, to be perfectly honest. (shame on me).  Actually being pretty sick last week when the season started kind of took up the whole of my mind, as well as my poor body and I was thinking of nothing by feeling better!!  LOL  But then a friend asked me, "What are you giving up for Lent?"   Hmmmm, I had to be honest and say that I really hadn't thought about it.   I can blame it on not being Catholic. I mean that's something done in another branch of Christianity, right?  Not my non-denominational sect......But I've been celebrating the Lenten season for years in one way or another....so that wasn't it.  No, it's because I was too caught up in myself to honor the Man who gave His life for me.

So, let's get back to the question, "What are you giving up for Lent?" I thought for a moment, and the answer came in an almost bubble like pop in my head, "Complaining." (Instant God visit!)  It wasn't a favorite food, or some tv time that God wanted me to forego, wasn't spending an extra half hour a day in prayer, but the complaining that goes on in my head, and comes out of my mouth.  He has been dealing with me for some time on this issue, as most of you well know.  And being this is to be the "year of gratitude" for me, "lose the complaining for lent," comes on the heels of that New Years goal the Lord gave me.  I am finding they are two sides of the same coin.

Fasting complaining?  Sounds crazy right.  I mean we fast food, right?  Skip a meal, or fast for a few days, don't eat meat on Fridays, as was the practice in my family growing up....but the Lord had something different in mind.  He is always outside of our box!!  He gave me to task of giving up complaining, and not just the words that come out of my mouth or pop up in my head....but the eye rolls, the wrinkling up of the nose, pursing the lips, and the hands on hips sighs that are telltale signs of a annoyed, disgusted, or grumbly attitude!  Wow Lord, all that!?!   This complaining thing has a whole lot of components.  And you know what, I am getting called on every one of them this week!  A little nudge from the Holy Spirit when I go off track.  And I am so thankful for that.

I am honestly so excited to be walking towards the freedom of gratitude.  How much more peaceful will my insides be if I am not walking around judging, condemning, murmuring and complaining....it's all turmoil.  YUCK!!  Gratitude is peace.  Gratitude is joy.  Complaining is NOT.

Honoring God.  Drawing closer to Him.  Being thankful for the sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross. All beautiful reasons to give a little of ourselves, whether it's a food we love (dare I say chocolate for some?) one meal each day (or more if you are led in that way), a bad habit or attitude or even our cherished time in extra prayer or service.  I believe that whatever we choose to do, when done with a heart that desires to love God and show it,  will be pleasing to Him.  And we will be changed by it! An added bonus!!

Just an added note on food fasting, I've found when I've done this, that I feel especially close to the Lord during the fast...it's really very cool, so you may want to give it a try if you are healthy enough to do so....as the Lord leads you.  The idea of food fasting is to exchange that time of eating and  food preparation for prayer and added time with the Lord.  There is plenty of resources out there that discuss and advise on different fasting techniques. Check them out!

I look forward to this new part of my journey with the Lord.  I am so grateful for this God visit in the form of one thought, one seed planted in my mind.....And I am so honored by the sacrifice made on the Cross for me, and for you....Easter season is a truly blessed and is a wonderful time to draw nearer to Lord, rekindling and deepening our relationship with Him as we walk to Golgotha with Jesus.

Lord, thank You, first and foremost for the reason behind this season.  Your sacrificial love that brought You to die on the Cross for us.  Let us honor that, remember that, and be filled with gratitude.  Thank You for the invitation to draw nearer to You in these days.  By sacrificing of ourselves we can understand a little more Your sufferings.  Be pleased with the gift our our hearts.  In Jesus holy name.  Amen