"I'm Giving Up Lent for Lent"

Lent is originally a Catholic tradition, part of the Liturgical Church year that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Wednesday, that calls practitioners to emulate the forty day fast Jesus Christ by giving up "something" for forty days as well. To my knowledge, most practitioners do not choose to give up food altogether like Jesus did, but they usually want to give up some part of their life that will cause them at least mild discomfort. I think the main idea is to show that we are in need of God more than we are in need of these other things in our lives that sometimes fill up our time.

However, despite its seemingly "good" nature, lent seems to be brushed aside or looked down upon in some circles. Many mock it as the "Christian New Years Resolutions" or give the catchy tag-line that I titled this entry. They argue that many use lent as an excuse to give up something temporarily for God as many practitioners often "break" lent at the first available opportunity and continue to indulge in whatever vice they sacrificed and continue with their normal lives. This kind of demonstration almost seems legalistic in that you will somehow appease God and make him happy by giving up something for that period of time, giving you some leeway to engross yourself in it for the other 325 days. Another argument against lent is that many feel like it is an excuse to wait until these specific days to give up something for God, when we should be constantly examining ourselves and cutting off vices that we/other see hindering us from worship of the Lord.

These arguments are good arguments. Christianity is not a legalistic religion. Just DOING something will never secure one's salvation. Instead, we are only saved by God's sovereignty and grace, being transformed by the love of Jesus Christ and allowing us to have faith in the promise of freedom from sin and the future glory we will possess for eternity in heaven with God.

Thus, despite the naysayers, I am participating in lent this year. There is nothing inherently wrong with lent. In fact, it is "Christians" or even Christians who pervert (make something wrong of) a perfectly fine practice. Why not give up something for God? There is nothing wrong in that. Let's not be legalistic in lent on either side of the issue. You can choose to participate or not participate and if you glorify God with your choice, that seems like enough. I pray that I will not fall into any of the pitfalls I mentioned earlier and if I do, I pray that God would lead me to see my sin and lead me towards him once again.