Your Journey Through Lent: Going Beyond Mere Ritual

Lent is here. Many of us, nevertheless, may be caught by surprise. Then we play catch-up. As a result we tragically begin a ritualistic approach to the season and forget about the spiritual needs of our soul. We forget that the resurrection of our soul takes time. It may take 40 days or so before we fully appreciate and remember the meaning of the cross. We were once dead and now we are alive. It may take 40 days until we can better appreciate, from a new perspective, that Jesus was resurrected.

My encouragement to you is for you to prepare yourself for the season of Lent. Prepare yourself not for the sake of Lent itself, it doesn't need you. Rather, prepare yourself for the sake of your soul.

Begin your journey on Ash Wednesday knowing that a spiritual awakening for 40 days before Easter will take plenty of effort. A journey of the soul may often take you places that you did not intend to go. The past, the present, and the future are all in play during a sincere walk through Lent.

• So give up something for Lent...but don't do it if you believe it will make your journey into a mere ritual.
• And don't tell anyone what you are giving up. Pride may ruin your good intentions.
• Find a Lenten devotional book. FBC is going through "A Spirit for the Season: Readings for the Days of Lent." Buy it and devote yourself to it.
• Find a friend to talk to and share your discoveries.
• Journal your findings if journaling is your thing. Me...I prefer a blog.

For what it is worth, I will be sharing my daily thoughts of the devotional guide "A Spirit of the Season."
As I share my thoughts, I encourage your comments and dialogue as God brings to all of us an awareness of who we are in him.