Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday…or the first day of Lent. As most of you know, as Christians we are called to give up everything that brings us joy during the season of Lent. We are called to sacrifice and be miserable. It’s tough, but life’s just not fair. Right?
WRONG.
Obviously I am kidding, but sometimes I feel like that is what the tradition has turned into. Instead of taking the time to add something to your life that brings you closer to Christ, people feel like they have to “suffer” and give up chocolate or TV because they need to be like Jesus. Um, no. Jesus doesn’t care if you eat chocolate or not. No matter what material things you give up, you won’t be any closer to Jesus unless you replace the time you would spend eating your chocolate or watching American Idol with something that brings you abundant life and a better understanding of living as a Christian. Basically, don’t just give something up for the hell of it. Give something up b/c you know it’ll bring you to the face of God. Give something up because you want to feel Christ’s presence in your life, not because you want to see how loud and often you can talk about your headache from caffeine withdrawal.
I have never been successful at “giving something up” anyway. Because I am human and I fail on a regular basis. Ask me about the time I gave up gum. I lasted maybe 2 weeks and said, “God wants me to have good breath and not make my friends gag when I talk to them”. I told you I am human. I can justify a lot of the crap I have in my life.
I am basically writing this rant to say: it’s between you and God. If you want to give something up or take something on, do it because God has put it on your heart and you know you will grow closer to Him. Not because your mom or Josh Hartnett influenced you to do so. I’ll update you on my Lenten promise tomorrow, for now I am chain chewing some Trident. It’s Fat Tuesday, gimme a break. -JoannaFlavin
