For Lent and Longer

According to the dictionary, Lent is the period of 40 weekdays before Easter observed in some Christian churches as a period of prayer, penance, fasting, and self-denial.  This period, starting on Ash Wednesday in Western churches, commemorates the 40 days that Jesus Christ spent fasting in the wilderness.

Even though Lent is not a requirement for our faith, it is an important and beneficial spiritual discipline.  I find it sometimes helpful and meaningful to purposely give up something for a reason/season.  Thus, my intent was to give up Coke, which I was drinking about 4 times a day or more, for the Lenten season of 2000.  Easter came and I had not followed through at all on my plan.  That Sunday, even though it was no longer Lent, I decided to still  commit to fast from Cokes.  I remember praying and asking God to use that time to give Larry and me the opportunity to teach Brad and Chad any life lessons they still needed to know before they graduated high school and began their college years.

Once college began in August, I decided to continue to forgo drinking cokes for the sake of praying for our sons, the family budget, and my health.  I had noticed that I felt better when not consuming so much sugar and caffeine.  Fast forward to May of 2001 when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  After offering the findings of the testing, one of the first statements the doctor made was that I would need to give up caffeine.  That was a defining moment for me because I was immediately overwhelmed with the sense that God had given me a chance to give up Cokes/caffeine for the right reasons and not because I now “had to.” 

Pope Francis offers suggestions that are definitely worthy of fasting from for Lent and beyond.

* Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

* Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.

* Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

* Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

* Fast from worries and have trust in God.

* Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.

* Fast from pressure and be prayerful.

* Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.

* Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.

* Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

* Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34:8

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Jeremiah 33:3

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

     and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

     and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6