In case you didn’t know, we’re in the season of Lent! Maybe Lent is something you’ve heard of, but never really participated in. Maybe you’re not really sure what Lent is all about, or maybe you’ve never even heard of it!
To clear up any confusion, and to put it simply, Lent is a time of preparation and anticipation, looking forward to Easter. This year, Lent began on February 14th (Ash Wednesday) and will end the Thursday before Easter, March 29th.
I didn’t grow up in a church that made a point of celebrating Lent, but in my adult life, it’s become a season filled with great meaning. At its core, this time of year is about reflection and sacrifice, acknowledging our need for Jesus and celebrating His sacrifice for us. I don’t know about you, but I don’t stop to acknowledge those truths enough.
That’s why many people choose to give something up during Lent! It’s a way of keeping Jesus’ sacrifice top of mind – every time you’re missing social media or sweets or whatever you’ve chosen to sacrifice, you are reminded of THE sacrifice.
Sometimes though, adding something in during the season of Lent can be a really great way to engage. I know what you’re thinking, “You want me to add another thing to my already busy schedule?” To which I would answer a resounding “Yes!” It can be just as much of a sacrifice as giving something up.
In the past, I’ve been a big fan of engaging in Lent by adding time with God. Here are a few resources I recommend if you’d like to try them out this year.
Last year, I followed a devotional study from She Reads Truth as a way to participate in Lent. They are an awesome devotional resource all year round, but especially for Lent.
Highlights
- She Reads Truth has a mobile app! That means you can access the Scripture readings and the devotionals all in one place, from any place. The app is free, but you do have to pay for the reading plan within the app. But not to worry! If you’d rather not spend the money, you can access all of their studies for FREE here.
- SRT always has beautiful little graphics to go along with each day of the study. Last year, I’d print each day’s out after reading the devotional and tape it to my wall as a reminder.
If you’d rather not have the added commentary of a devotional, but just want to dig in to Scripture, BibleGateway.com is just one of many places to find a reading plan.
Highlights
- It’s free!
- This plan covers the four Gospels (the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus) in the days leading up to Easter.
Daily Lent
Maybe setting aside time to simply sit in God’s presence each day would be a great way for you to engage. Settle in with some worship music, or set aside some extra time to pray each day. The Daily Lent app could be a good place to start.
Highlights
- It’s free!
- If you want to grow in your prayer life, this app can help guide you. It includes a prayer for each day of Lent.
If you haven’t really given Lent much thought before now, I’d encourage you to spend some time reflecting. Ask God to show you a place in life where you might need to practice sacrifice, even if it’s just temporary. Whether that’s giving something up, or adding something in, consider how you might draw closer to God as Easter approaches. And then celebrate like crazy when it arrives!
