Lent is a sacred time for many Christians around the world where we draw closer to Jesus Christ through sacrifice and penance. It is a tradition to give up something for the forty days of Lent. While many people choose luxuries, such as certain foods or forms of entertainment, we can also give up heavy habits that weight on our hearts and mind. Here are just five examples.
Give Up Shame
We are children of God! God loved us so much, he sent his son to die for us. This Easter season is all about the sacrifice Jesus made for us. We need to rejoice and find joy through Jesus. God does not want us to be weighed down with self-hatred and feelings of shame. Recognize we all make mistakes, but we all have Jesus and the power of grace and healing.
Give Up Doubt
There is a lot of noise in the world. This noise can cause confusion and our faith may waver. Give up doubt. We can still have questions. We can still work on our faith. We can still search diligently to find Christ. But let us put our faith first! Let us choose to believe and put the doubt aside. Instead, focus on enlightend searching and learning.
Give Up Judgement
We have a lot of opportunites to judge. We can judge the people in our families, in our congregation, in our neighborhoods, and in the world. We judge in person and we judge online. Jesus Christ is the ultimate judge. We are to forgive all and try to show compassion to all of God's children. Pray for your enemies. Refrain from harsh words. Only express the love and grace of Christ in your interactions.
Give Up Fear
The world is in turmoil. Many hearts have turned away from God. It can be easy to fear for ourselves and for our families. However, our hearts should not fail us. We have the truth of Christ. No matter what happens, we know we shall have a glorious reward in the end for our faithfullness. Let go of the fear that holds you captive.
Give Up Pride
Lent is the perfect time to realize we need to fully rely on Jesus Christ. We can do nothing without him. His power gives us power. His love gives us love. His mercy gives us mercy. It is through Christ all blessings come. Express more gratitiude. Submit yourself in humble prayer. Repent of your sins. Fully rely on Christ.