Instructions for Keeping Lent

Instructions for Keeping Lent

Lent is a season of repentant spiritual preparation in anticipation of Good Friday and Easter.  Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Christians throughout history have entered into a forty-day period of self-examination, prayer, scripture reading, fasting, and self-denial to prepare for the observance of the tragic horror of Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday and the celebration of the astonishing joy of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday.  To help begin this process of repentance, consider the following suggestions:

First Step – Examine your life by asking yourself, “What is there in my life that is getting in between me and my relationship with God? What is a stumbling block to my following Christ?”  ‘Stumbling Blocks’ to having a closer relationship with God fall into two categories:

1)    Destructive behaviors such as anger, quarreling, envy, slanderous gossip, fornication, drunkenness etc.  (refer to Gal. 5:16-21)

2)    Overindulging in good things – eating too much, doing too much of anything so that it has a negative impact on your life and relationship with God.

Second Step – Resolve to “give it up for Lent”

Common things people give up for Lent:

Destructive Behavior	Good Things
Complaining	Breakfast
Viewing Pornography	Television
Being Offended	Internet/Cell phones
Criticizing others	Bread
Anger and Quarreling	Chocolate
Envy	Meat
Gossip	Sugar/Candy
Fornication / Adultery	Coffee
Drunkenness	Video games

Hints:

* If you find yourself saying, “Oh I wish I could give that up this ” OR “I could never give that up that”: these are the things you probably should give up for Lent!

* For beginners, only give up ONE thing so you can focus all of your attention on that ONE thing.  For more experienced folk, give up one destructive thing & one good thing.

Third Step – Replace what you give up with a spiritual practice: an act of piety and/or an act of mercy.

Some examples are . . :

·       If you give up complaining, spend time in prayer thanking God for all of the blessings God has given you (piety), and look for reasons to speak positively to others (mercy).

·       If you give up breakfast (or coffee, or chocolate etc.), use the time when you would eat to pray or read scriptures (piety) and take the money you would have spent on breakfast (or coffee, or chocolate etc.) and give it to your favorite charity (mercy).

·       If you give up anger, purchase a devotional which focuses on peace, or take time each day to find scriptures which discuss peace (piety).

·       If you give up pornography, go to www.xxxchurch.com for suggestions and/or talk to your pastor for help.

·       Talk to your pastor for suggestions and help with anything you choose to give up.  And consult with your physician before giving up all meat or all sugars.

Fourth Step – Write your plan for Lent down and/or tell someone you trust – someone who will not judge you!  Writing your plan for Lent down and telling a friend will help you feel more accountable. 

If you slip up – DON’T GIVE UP!  Pray to God, ask for forgiveness and start again!

The Goodness of Easter Sunday!

Easter Sunday is the foretaste of the goodness of the kingdom of God!  So if you have given up a good thing, then plan to celebrate the goodness of God on Easter by treating yourself to the good thing you have given up!  For those who have given up a destructive behavior – don’t pick up the bad behavior again! But plan to reward yourself on Easter with something good you really enjoy!  And more good news!  Every Sunday in Lent is the celebration of a “little Easter,” so you can treat yourself to good things every Sunday in Lent!  Lent is all about repenting: leaving our destructive behaviors and overindulgence behind us, realizing that all good things come from God, and turning toward the goodness of God and God’s kingdom.  The more we practice patterns of repentance, the closer we walk with God!

I pray that you are strengthened in body, mind, and spirit in all your fasts and prayers during the season of Lent.

In the Peace of Christ,

Pastor Jason