So what are you giving up for Lent?

I wonder how many of us have heard that question asked. Or perhaps when we saw “Ash Wednesday” on our calendars, thought to ourselves, what am I going to give up?

Yet how many of us stop to think about the “why” of Lenten sacrifice?

Is it just a six-week excuse to go on a diet or give up a bad habit?

The real power and beauty of Lent comes from realizing that it’s not about the actual sacrifice – or commitment to focus on our spirituality – but rather focusing on the origin of from where the practice stems.

Jesus went into the desert for 40 days to be tempted by Satan before he began his public ministry. When we think about Lent in those terms it can take on transformational qualities. If Jesus used this period of time to ready himself for what He was sent to do on earth – isn’t that a great model for us?

If we use Lent to strip away the distractions of life – to prepare ourselves to perform what God has placed us here to do – how much more effective could we be? It’s about recognizing that much of what we get caught up in – the daily grind, the gossip, the pressure, the fear, the wants, the envies, the resentments, the to-do lists – are really Satan’s own way of keeping us off balance and distracted from our God given purpose in this life.

When we take the time to peel away some of these distractions – or force ourselves to live without things we know have become “idols” because of their presence in our lives – and we focus on our relationship with God, we make it possible for Him to speak more clearly into our lives.

If you’re looking for some inspiration for Lent – I recommend this post. It has some great ideas. While very Catholic in nature, there is enough here for anyone of any faith to sink their teeth into.

May your Lent be filled with God’s grace.