This Lent I was originally going to give up chocolate....really. So my savior dies for me and I think, giving up chocolate is great way to show my love and gratitude. I'll connect with God by giving up chocolate...yea, right. Why is it so hard for us as Christians to see the big picture? We pray to God when something bad happens; begging and pleading for His help and mercy. We pray to God when we need something, again, begging and pleading for His help and mercy.
But what about when its our turn?
God comes to us each Lent begging and pleading for our help and mercy. He needs us to do something for Him and all I had was, "I'll give up chocolate for you." So incredibly sad. Lent should be time of growing closer to God, reconnecting with God and examining who we are as Christians. Are we Sunday Christians? Are we Social Christians? Are we PC Christians? Who does God really call us to be as Christians? Lent is an important to time to get ourselves right with God.
The days leading up to Lent, I struggled a lot with what I wanted to give up. I also struggle with a sweet tooth and well, food in general, and I thought that giving up chocolate would be a good sacrifice. It would be hard, because Mamma loves her chocolate. But the more I thought about it, not necessary prayed about it, the more I thought, the more I knew that I could really do more than just give up chocolate.
{click on link above to hear more about how to make this the best Lent ever}
So....I'm giving up on my own selfishness and I giving more of me to God this Lent. My Lenten promise is more than just giving up on a tangible something, its about reconnecting with God and scripture and discipleship. It's about "fixing" myself: mind, body and spirit for my Savior. I say "fixing" because I'm not entirely broken, but I do have some parts in my life that need a tune up. I know from experience that once I'm more grounded in my faith, like I once was, that I'll naturally want to give up what isn't good for me. Because I'll be full of God and not of myself.
I have just now begun my journey and its not easy by any means. I'm watching what I eat, I'm really trying to focus on praying about things instead of thinking about them, I'm trying to exercise, I'm trying to pray the Rosary, I'm trying to look in my Bible more often and less on Pinterest. I'm in the beginning phase of my Lenten journey. Everyday is a struggle to go back to old ways....I'm doing everything I can to live my life the right way for God.
God has given me so much and I remember how I used to pray, beg and plead for His help. "Give me a Husband who'll love me" He did, and he is the BEST husband in the whole world....never gets mad, always happy, very sweet, very loving, the list goes on and on. I'm madly in love with the husband that God gave me,
"Give me children" He did, and I have the smartest, funniest, sweetest children a woman could ever want. And they are healthy, helpful, loving and my whole world. I still can't believe they are mine!
"Give me a nice home" He did. I have a really nice home in a really nice neighborhood.
"Give me a nice car" He did. I used to drive around in a clunker, and now I have new vehicle that has AC and doesn't break down every week!
"Give me, Give me, Give me" He does....He gives to me all the time and I'm so selfish that instead of being happy with what I have, I still ask for more. And again, what do I give God in return? An hour of my time in Mass on Sundays, sure. Washing Church linens once a month, yes I do that. Sending my children to Catholic school, of course I can do that. Tithing, yup. But pray the Rosary? Oh God, you are asking too much of me....but God, while we are talking, can you make me skinny? I'll give up chocolate for you, just to show you how serious I am.
Not this time...God has been so incredibly generous with my life, He has been so wonderful, loving, forgiving and precious to me and my family....I must give more, and that starts with me. Giving up on extra TV time so I can read the Bible, giving up on extra Pinterest time so I can pray the Rosary, giving up on junk food so I can take care of my body like the temple God designed it to be. Lent doesn't have to be a sacrifice of chocolate, it needs to be more than that. It needs to be a sacrifice of our own selfishness. This Lent, make it about more of God and less of ourselves. Lets give this Lent to God and work together as Christians to grow closer to our Heavenly Father, cause lets face it, is giving up chocolate really going to bring anyone closer to God?
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