Lent is a new thing for me. Or better said, it's a recently revisited thing that feels new.
I went to a Catholic Church in the sixth grade on Ash Wednesday and got ashes on my forehead. Then I went to P.E. and they smeared. From ages 11–24, I took a break from Lent. I can recall multiple years of strolling into church on what I thought was a typical Sunday before realizing it was Easter.
That's embarrassing. But it's honest.
In preparation for Easter, I started a fast. Just as many Christians have since A.D. 313, when a young pastor named Athanasius challenged his congregation to give up something and take on a heightened discipline for the 40 days pre-Easter.
Here's why I think every church should observe Lent:
LENT IS ABOUT TRADING THE GOOD FOR THE BETTER
Sleeping is good. Caffeine is good. Instagram is good. Shopping is good. But Jesus is better. Lent is a season of heightened discipline, heightened hope, heightened repentance, and it ends in a crazy celebration with your community on a Sunday called Easter.
NO ONE ACCIDENTALLY GRAVITATES TOWARDS HOLINESS
It takes work to draw near to Christ. Discipline creates desire. So it's our joy to participate in a season of training in the hope of being transformed. We fast with gratitude in pursuit of learning the discipline of dying to ourselves.
LENT CONNECTS US TO THE HISTORIC CHURCH
For over 1,700 years, Christians have observed this season. When we participate in Lent, we join a chorus of believers across centuries who have prepared their hearts for the celebration of the resurrection.
LENT CREATES SPACE FOR GOD
When we remove something from our lives, we create space. And in that space, God meets us. The hunger we feel when we fast reminds us of a deeper hunger—a hunger for God that we too often satisfy with lesser things.
So this year, I'd encourage you and your church to observe Lent. Give something up. Take something on. Draw near to Christ. And prepare your heart for the glorious celebration of Easter.