A New Lent

I was scrolling through old posts this morning trying to remember what I've given up for Lent over the past few years. Ever since I was little it was always something food-related. I didn't understand the true (or even a small, remote) meaning of Lent, but my family always did it. It was the one time a year I had will power - I can't recall a time that I've ever cheated on my "Lent diet". Thanks to Adam's encouragement (and education), I've done better over the past few years of giving up something a little less shallow than food, but I still wasn't really grasping the real reason behind Lent.

Since I started this blog, it looks like I've given up using the word "hate", Facebook (and cheese and bread) and tried the Paleo diet. Last year I didn't give anything up because I was pregnant and figured I got a free pass. (I certainly could have done something while I was pregnant.  Oh, well. Next time.) Up until the past few months I didn't really grasp the true meaning of Lent. In reality, I'm supposed to give up a vice with the thought that whenever I craved it I would then be reminded of Jesus and all of his goodness and sacrifices. Also, to mimic the forty days Jesus spent fasting. 

Now that I've had my own teaching moment, I realize that I didn't actually give anything up this year, either. UGH. WHEN WILL I FIGURE THIS OUT?? 2017 will be my year, people.

However, I'm pretty excited about what I'm doing for Lent this year. I have a daily devotional that I fell in love with last year, Jesus Calling. Each day's devotional was inspired by a couple bible verses, which the author conveniently put at the bottom of each page. This year, I'm reading my devotional, looking up the bible verses, spending some quiet time with my man JC, and then journaling about it in my Live Life Beautifully journal Debbie got me last year. 

Meet Team Lent.

My biggest struggle on this whole Christian walk I'm on is I have a hard time just being still and spending time with Jesus. It's truly all He wants from us. And while it sounds so simple, it doesn't come naturally to me. My mind wanders. I forget that I was trying to accomplish something by being still. I grab my phone without realizing it. It's hard. Stillness is a struggle. I figure the forty days of Lent will [hopefully] get me in the habit of setting aside time to just BE.

Maybe I actually am giving something up. Giving up my time for Him. At the end of the day, it's His time anyway. Why can't I spend a small chunk of it in His presence? Seems like a simple concept.