Are you giving up anything for Lent?
The liturgical season of Lent begins next week on Ash Wednesday. Lent commemorates the final weeks leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, and many Christians mark the season with a spiritual commitment or by giving up a habit or behavior for the duration of Lent.
Examples of Lent commitments I’ve seen include giving up television, reading through a particular part of the Bible, volunteering at a local food kitchen, and many others. Whether it’s trivial or epic in scale, the point of such a commitment is to focus attention on the person of Jesus Christ.
Are you doing anything to commemorate Lent this year?
[…] Share your thoughts! […]
I am giving up watching soooo much television. I have been substituting this time reading the word, reading inspirational literature, and going to bed earlier @ night. I did not realize how much extra time is wasted.
during the lturgical season of Lent, i have given up on television, truthfully,after taking time out with the Lord more this year and reading his word more, i don’t watch tv as much like i use to which to me feels great. Instead, i am enjoying God and all his beautiful creations outside more so than ever.
“Lent” is not something I have ever observed in my Christian life. I was raised in a cult as a follower of a false Prophet. When I confessed my sin, received Jesus Christ as my Savior, the church which I joined did not observe Lent. As I have watched others it seems to me that what some believers practice for Lent is what all of us should be doing all year long. Some I have known attend church more … I could not attend church more than I was. Some read the Bible more … I was reading it regularly. I don’t find a base in the Bible for the practice of Lent as it seems to me it is just what the every day life of the born again believer should be living. Am I wrong?
I completely agree with you Phoebe. I see no support for the observation in scripture. It should be more of a direction we face daily to honor God in all we do, say, and think. Lean on His Word and pray without ceasing.
Manna was God’s gift of life to the Israelites. Jesus Christ is God’s gift of life to all mankind. Without God’s gift of manna, the undeserving Israelites would have died. But without God’s gift of Jesus Christ, the bread of life, all the world would be condemned to death.
These words are really true..Amen
Anu
http://www.bibleilluminated.com
I know it’s trivial, but I give up iced tea during Lent. I find I have an unhealthy addiction to it so I give it up. This year, whatever I give up, I’m going to give the money I save to a radio station in Cote d’Ivoire. I challenge others to do the same. http://www.amplifyhope.org.
giving up starches – improving the health of His temple; also & reducing games and tv & increasing my study and prayer time.
This Lent have to be permanent in ourlives.Not just in this next season
or just a couple weeks at year.God requires our best, our love and our
good behavior, He dont like sacrifices, He desires a sincere love and permanent commitment ever, all the time, He wants from us, to look at Him the 365 dyas at year, and the 24 hours of the day.
Sacrifices dont buy eternal life and salvation,we have to watch at this
Yes, it’s true that God desires obedience, not sacrifice. However, the season of Lent provides those who are not consistent in their walk with God, to renew their commitment to God, and start a habit of daily communion with God.
this lent im giving up drinking alcohol its be hard but it’ll be good
I’m giving up Lent for Lent. After all it is pagan and idolatrous in origin. It has nothing to do with Jesus Christ or his death, burial and resurrection.
Many people use Lent as a way to reconnect and refocus their lives on Christ. Yes, it can turn into just following a set of rules that’s devoid of Christ, but most of the time it’s the opposite of that.
“Many people use Lent as a way to reconnect and refocus their lives on Christ.”
Huh? That should be happening every day, that is, if you’re saved.
Don’t draw a line in the sand kingjames. We are to link arms and help each other by ANY means we can to get closer to Jesus. This question was posed as an encouragement. My church doesn’t practice lent but I was enticed to read all of your notes because I believe in the power of fasting and others testimony’s are a motivator. God is in the business of taking godless things and making them whiter than snow
PTL! He did that for you and I – and that’s what we NEED to fast for. You sound like you have strong leadership qualities – pray for the gift of LOVE so we can rock this world together!
“by ANY means we can to get closer to Jesus.”
couldn’t disagree with you more. The Lord has an aversion to things associated with idolatry. That’s the crux of the prophets. It comes up over and over and over again. God’s people fall for this stuff during times of backsliding, apostasy, lukewarmness. God never ever recommends following pagan practices. not one time.
“This question was posed as an encouragement”
Good motive but the reality is this encourages sin. not good for the body of Christ.
rupa says,
lent days are devotional days,lent remeber us his great sacrifise for us and also his love,in my opinion every day is a lent day in our life there would be severe spiritual war everyday in believers life. so weshould live holy life for jesus with the help of resurrection power that was given to us by jesus at the cross.
I don’t really get why you’re “giving up Lent for Lent.” It can sometimes become a ritual, but lots of people find it spiritually helpful, and giving up stuff thats bad for you can be so helpful! And I don’t see how it’s pagan in origin. Wasn’t it started off partly for practical reasons – during that time of year people had eaten the food they had saved during the winter, and not much food crop would be coming soon, so they gave stuff up? At least, that’s what I heard, please correct me if I’m wrong!
A good start to learn where all this stuff came from would be Hislop’s “The Two Babylon’s”.
This year I will fast for the whole 40 days. No food or drink until 6pm. I first started this with a church and have been doing it ever since. Jesus fasted during this same season to prepare for what was about to happen, his death so this is one of the strongest spiritual battles. After the fast was over Jesus was tempted by the devil if the devil will try to tempt jesus to stop him from saving us from our sins. so, what will he try to stop us from? That same energy that was then there is still here. so, for us to fast the same as Jesus did to become stronger on a spiritual level to push do any problem by connected with that energy that Jesus left. this the best time for us to give up a lot to recieve even more.
Wow, that’s a really cool thing to do!! I might end up doing that next year… Good Luck with it, and God Bless… 😀
I am going to try giving up all smoking all day and go jogging instead.
However, there’s 1 & 1/2 feet of snow outside?
I read the bible every night, I have a new big screen that is rarely ever used, I need all the help out there?
Good for you dannyboy – You can do this. I think God gave us the snow so we are snowed in and have nothing to do but spend more time with him!!! So you may want to have a “Plan B” until jogging can begin
I love going to our local YMCA – you meet a lot of people – health conscious people!!
I’m so glad Jesus died to save me from my sins! I love the Lord and it makes so angry to hear people make such moments;I’m giving up so much tv and sleeping and start more praying and studying.
So many have so little these days so giving something up is not an option, however, praying more and reading the Bible more costs nothing so that is my plan during this season of Lent. I do not understand the ashes on the forehead. Does anyone know where that originated from?
This isn’t part of my faith tradition either but a friend of mine posted this link recently:
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/deeper-walk/features/20533-the-many-lessons-of-ash-wednesday
That is an excellent article – written for the lay person to understand! Thanks Brian. The more we can meditate on our brokenness – the more we are able to see His holiness and the more we want to FAST in thanksgiving for what He did for us
I was not a traditionalist as it relates to lent, my desire is do some meditation and reflaction.
I give up something for lent every year, GOD sacrificed the ultimiate sacrifice, this year i am giving up meat and potatoes.
I’m giving up Facebook, coz I find it very addictive and quite unhelpful sometimes. So far it’s going good, and although I keep wanting to go on it, I think I’ll be able to do it…
As I can see, we all are willing to give up something for lent. Good to know that people still care about jesus christ now a days. But, what if we give up most of these things without having to have a special occasion? Watching less television, sleeping earlier and waking up earlier, not drinking tea or coffee or alcohol. Why dont we watch what we eat, and how much we eat of it on a daily basis? Why not instead of paying attention to unnecessary things, we pay more attention to our families, friends, and others…always including the Lord? Just think about how much better our world would be if every day we had to give up something. But instead we get distracted by everything that the world offers us, and forget about the things that we really NEED. But it’s ok i guess, because we are all humans, and the human is imperfect. Thanks to jesus christ we are all able to repent and have the opportunity to better ourselves through repentance.
No; no particular reason I have just never developed the habit. Is it required of Christians by the Bible?
As long as you believe that Jesus died and rose from the grave why should it matter what religion your from;we are all decendents of Adam and Eve. The Bible says to repent daily.I agree. Why wait for a holiday to celebrate Christ. To me I celebrate every minute of the day everyday. The Bible states that Jesus is the true vine without him we can do nothing, but with him we can do all things. Amen. The Bible says that if we can believe we can recieve through prayer. The Bible also says that when we fast do it in secret so that no one else can see. What we do in secret through Christ he said he would reward us in the open.Jesus is first in my life before my kids,husband,friends. He’s my first Love and always will be. The Bible also says to seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Oh ya’ll aint hearing me. If you going to stop smoking for a short period why not give it up completely. All you have to do is lay it at Jesus’ feet and don’t pick it back up. If you can believe it you can recieve it. Amen. Hey I pray all of you to continue to be BLESSED!!! AMEN..
GENESIS: When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they where cast from the garden of Eden. Why because they disobeyed God. The Word Of God says,because of their sin WE ALL are BORN INTO SIN even in your mothers whom. We All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. 1 John 1:8 And If we say we have no sin, then you deceive yourself and the truth is not us. We are all in need of Salvation. First of all we donot choose God, He choose us. It is because of Gods Love for us, that he sent HIS ONLY SON to DIE IN OUR PLACE. It is because of Jesus Christ, I have been given Life and I will be giving more of my self to others.