Why Lent Matters to You Right Now (Don’t do it perfectly, do it purposefully)
So often we name the Christmas season the most wonderful time of the year. And I think that's a fair assessment, particularly if it is celebrated with a full-tilt toward the spiritual.
Perhaps there is a runner-up most wonderful time of the year: Easter. Most often it seems to sneak upon us. One day it's Good Friday, two days later it's Easter and then it's over. Maybe, like me, you too have felt like there is never enough time to celebrate Easter.
That’s why we can invest in Lent, the 40 days before Easter, a little every day leading up to Easter. It doesn’t need to be time-consuming, it just needs to gain momentum day by day, little by little. It's an invitation to undertake the journey with Jesus and thereby prepare ourselves for the two big events that are the pillars of our belief system - the crucifixion and the resurrection.
So what's the point, right?
Turning our minds to Jesus' ministry here on earth, specifically leading up to His death on the cross, refocuses our hearts and minds on why we live the way we do, and why that matters in the daily grind. Lent is the perfect excuse to lay out on the table all the emotions and thoughts you’re holding in about yourself and this broken world and letting them flow out freely. It’s an excuse to cry, to mourn, to really feel deeply, as we contemplate what it cost Jesus on our behalf.
But after 40 days, we recognize the culmination of the grand celebration that is His resurrection - and the proof that there is none like Him. While Lent is a somber period, its purpose does not stop at sadness and despair - it points us to the hope of the Resurrection and the day when we will see Him face to face.
Like Advent, Lent is a time to open the doors of our hearts a little wider and understand our Lord a little deeper, so that when Good Friday and eventually Easter comes, it is not just another day at church but an opportunity to receive the overflowing of grace God has to offer.
Approaching Easter Sunday as a season, not just a day or weekend is so valuable. If we want annual heart transformation and to present God with pure, meaningful worship, it's going to cost us something. Look forward to fasting. Look forward to denying ‘self on purpose. I've seen the results and it’s freeing.
Consider yourself invited to open your calendar and heart a little wider to approach Easter, the holiday that sets Christians apart, and enter into a journey with Jesus.
So here we are - let’s make it real.
First, pray. Ask God what He has in mind for you during these 40 days.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Focused Bible readings (there is no shortage of printed and digital devotional guides).
Fasting from something (food, habit, social media consumption) you will truly miss daily.
Denying of self (when you miss it, you trade that desire for prayer).
Giving to the poor. As I purge my soul of sin and self, I also empty our home of excess. What can I give away to benefit another (both money and stuff)?
If you've never done anything like this, explore some of the ideas above. Maybe it will become the most wonderful time of the year for you too. Who doesn't want that?
We can do this. We need to do this.
Get this $5 Downloadable PDF to help you prepare for Easter here:
Written by Angela B, Writer at ROOTED; Published by Esther.
Angela is a wife, mother and grandmother who loves the slow, cozy days of winter and enjoys spending them by the fire as she knits gifts for her family and friends.