“My Lent has been a failure.” An acquaintance of mine shared this recently and for a while I agreed with her, as I felt the same way about my Lenten experience this year and most years for the last several.
I didn’t stick to my Facebook fast. I didn’t stick to my soda ban or limiting my consumption of certain foods.
In making my failure assessment I directed my focus on negatives, things that I had failed to do. But, then I read an article that made a succinct point and upon contemplating this I expanded it just a little. Our Lents and our Advents cannot be failures. Our whole life is an Advent, a Lent. We spend our whole life preparing for Christ, preparing to be reunited with Him in eternity. Everything we do, every choice we make prepares us in one way or another for eternity.
Anyway back to my acquaintance and my failed Lents. After reading her comments and starting to respond, to share her disgust at her failure, God took control of my thoughts. My response, God’s response: I struggle and did not do as well as I would have liked to. I will use the lessons of this season to draw closer to Jesus through God’s never-ending mercy.
He knows my shortcomings, but He also knows my triumphs. Yes, I may have not followed through on a few insignificant sacrifices, but the things I was successful at like: the increased Bible study and prayer, the time spent with God in the silence listening for His direction, all things , that although not accomplished perfectly, led me to come to know God better.
It’s not all about the physical, secular sacrifices, like giving up pop or Facebook. Don’t get me wrong those are good things to give up. But the sacrifices I’m talking about and maybe sacrifice is the wrong word, are saying one more prayer, helping one more person, picking up your Bible and reading a verse or two. These draw you closer to God and isn’t that what Lent and Advent are all about.
So as we celebrate the birth, death and resurrection of our Savior, let’s not dwell in the despair of failed sacrifices. Instead, let’s rejoice in the Resurrection of both Jesus and relationship with Him; our eternal souls.
Christina Weigand
Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of four. She is also Nana to three granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Cranberry Twp. Pennsylvania, returning there after a short sabbatical in Washington. Currently, she’s working on fantasy novels and inspirational writing. Through her writing, she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone. When she’s not writing, she’s active in her local Church as a lector, Bible Study, volunteering at her daughter’s school helping the children develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as she shares Him through her writing.
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