This is a celebration! An opportunity to share just a little in Christ’s suffering. Forty days — a countdown from February 13 (Ash Wednesday) until Easter Sunday.
It’s not just for the Catholics and Protestants anymore. Churches of various faiths have participated in this loving act for years now. It is a time of reflection, servitude, prayer, fasting, spiritual growth, and giving. When I say giving, I mean giving of yourself or doing without one thing you really love. Here are a few things people give up: chocolate, candy, movies, tv, internet, Facebook (just kidding), potatoes, soft drinks. Anything that shows your willingness to do without for a time to reflect on what Jesus suffered for all of us.
I read an article about Lent where this woman did Lent differently. She and her family decided not to give up anything. Instead, they would add one word to their thoughts to focus on totally…all the time and every day. When they woke up, the word consumed their thoughts for the day and they lived it.
Yeah, not giving up a single thing. I can do this!
So on Ash Wednesday I decided on my word to focus on and began the period of Lent. My word is PATIENCE. I could do with a little more of that, so I started with concentration and a little effort and was pretty much handling the situation, when a couple of days into it I hit a snag. Certain things bothered me and I began to snap at my husband, wasn’t kind at times, and found myself being downright disagreeable. Where had this attitude come from? This was harder than I thought it would be. Truth is I thought it would be a breeze. Was I fooled. I had a lot more work cut out for me than I thought. I prayed. So here I am, Lord, with a haughty attitude that you hate. Please forgive me and let me have at least a little of the attitude you had when you saved me from an eternity in Hell. – Amen.
I thought of the passage of scripture that says: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Ouch!
So now I’m trying harder and keeping in mind that I live to serve a much higher power, and that this is nothing compared with what He went through when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, and all the way to the cross where He gave His life for mine. He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. He was sinless and He did this without thinking about how he was treated — brutally beaten — for me. It’s personal. He did this for all of us.
After familiarizing myself with these passages, and repeating them to myself, it was easier to be kinder and at the right times to keep silent when I had nothing nice to say.
How about you? Are you participating in Lent? Let me know your thoughts or share a story with me.
I want to wish all of you a joyous and Happy Easter!
Happy Easter! (Photo credit: eyeore2710)
Remember
Christ is risen!
Thanks for viewing.
Related articles
- Ash Wednesday (yourmesshismessage.wordpress.com)
- Lent. Really?!! (ispygod.net)
STOP HERE, I WANNA GET OFF! 