If you would have asked me about Lent twenty years ago, when I was a newborn Christian, I probably would have told you that it was a time of repentance for Catholics for all the debauchery that happens during Mardi Gras. I had no clue that it was practiced by most mainline denominations or any Christians who observe the liturgical calendar. I knew that it was the time leading up to Easter and that everybody eats fish on Fridays. That was until I joined a church that had an Ash Wednesday service and really took Lent seriously.
Lent comes from the word for Spring. Here in Florida, Spring is in full bloom. We’ve got new growth and flowers all over the place, so I think that we miss the visual picture that the bleakness of winter provides. The 40 days (technically 46 but you skip Sundays) is meant to remind us of another 40 day period, Jesus’ retreat to the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. The whole point is to reflect on the life and work of Jesus and to get some exercise for a spiritual muscle that doesn’t get many workouts these days. Self-denial.
It is a time that we are supposed to give up indulgent things like television, alcohol, Facebook, or dessert. But why, what’s the point? It’s so easy to get caught up in the “What are you giving up for Lent?” game that we forget what we are supposed to be putting on. Prayer, repentance, and mortification are the flip-side of the self-denial, and obviously, the point of the whole thing is to increase our daily reliance on Jesus for spiritual nourishment. If Lent isn’t about Jesus then you might as well be celebrating Ramadan or the Whole 30.
Having just preached through Colossians 1-2 and seen a strong condemnation of man-made religion and the inability of religious practices to do anything to stop the indulgence of the flesh, I felt like we needed a little primer on this religious holiday before it becomes a stench in God’s nostrils (Amos 5:21). With that in mind, here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t observe Lent.
1. To shed those Holiday pounds
I think too many people use this season as an opportunity to restart some of the New Year’s resolutions that they began in earnest but forgot about in February. While I’m all for healthy eating and commitments to exercise, save your swimsuit season weight loss plans for another time. Lent does have a fasting component in which we actively and purposefully put to death the fleshly desires in us. But the goal of this siege against sin is to cultivate a deeper spiritual hunger for God, not a slimmer physique. Turning Lent into a season of self-improvement misses the vision of pruning our spiritual branches so we can deeply abide in the vine and be prepared to bear fruit.
2. To gain freedom from an addiction
On a more serious note, while Lent is a wonderful time to address the fleshly desires that entangle and ensnare us. This is not a do-it-yourself rehab clinic. If you feel a crippling dependence on alcohol, sexual activity, gambling, drugs, or any kind of vice, please seek guidance from a professional counselor or an addiction recovery program. Lent is a private journey of faith and reflection while the road out of addiction is one that requires the support and encouragement of other believers who can provide guidance and accountability along the way. I pray that you do find freedom from addictions along your spiritual journey. But don’t expect 40 days of cold turkey with some vague spiritual underpinnings to knock out a serious addiction.
3. To be a spiritual rockstar
This thought hit a little close to home because most of us want to be admired by our peers for our spiritual devotion, at least I do. But this should be a time for us to seek the greater reward of satisfaction for our longings and joy in the night that comes in a deep relationship with Jesus. Jesus himself warned about this in Matthew 6:16 when he said, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” In our age of social media, I think this might mean that taking selfies with your plate full of veggies and the hashtag #NothingButALentThing is not advised. Those likes and shares are all you will get out of what is meant to be a deeper experience.
Along those same lines is the risk to think that by doing some great spiritual acts we are somehow going to make God happy with us, or at least less angry. First, God does not play our childish religious games, and even more importantly, if you are truly a believer then there is nothing more you need to do to garner God’s favor. You are his beloved son or daughter. Jesus died to make this reconciliation a reality. To think that you giving up chocolate for 40 days will somehow get you a 2nd level spiritual credibility is foolish. If you aren’t a believer, then this season is not for you. It is not a time to try and earn God’s approval through asceticism. Instead, trust in the good news that Jesus has already disarmed the wrath of God on your behalf if you will only place your trust in him to do so and walk in newness of life.