Many of the Christian leaders I follow on social media and in real life are giving up things for Lent. Some are giving up coffee, some soda, some will be missing from social media or will forego their daily lunch-out, or even make do with one meal a day (excluding Sundays). I almost jumped on the bandwagon. Listening to the testimonies and the scripture readings from some made me want to do it. Would I grow closer to God during this time? Would I be able to focus more on the Easter season? Would Jesus’ sacrifice mean more to me after I fast for 40 days before the celebration of His death and resurrection? Ultimately I decided against participating in Lent for a few reasons.

Setting a 24/7 Example for My Kiddos

I want my kids to see me putting God first and celebrating Jesus every day. That’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Long story short: I fail miserably at this. Even though I am not perfect at it, I do think my kids get an authentic glimpse of my relationship, a real relationship, with Jesus. My relationship with Jesus is a struggle, just like every relationship is, and I mess up a lot. What I want to avoid, though, is hyping up a big experience like Lent, and then screw it up, throw in the towel, and try to explain it away… “Better luck next year!”

Human Expectations

I have fasted before, and I think that in all I bring my too-human expectations to the whole experience. I make a show of it: “Hey, Facebook, I’m checking out for X days”. I have secret hopes: “Maybe I’ll lose a few pounds”. I pray for God to make the experience easier when in reality it shouldn’t be easier!

What Can I Gain?

This is the most selfish, most human question, but we’ve been asking it since Eden. Can the fruit of this tree give me something? The serpent said yes, and Eve ate it. In a world where we have everything at our fingertips—information, shopping, money, relationships, we are inclined to do things for personal gain. I know this going in, and I know that I will not gain a closer relationship with God by participating in Lent this year. Many will, but by jumping onto their bandwagon and doing their thing, I will not benefit.

Then What?

Perhaps you think I am bold and also a little hateful about this. Perhaps you think me far too lazy to really do Lent anyway. Maybe you’re correct in gleaning these opinions from this blog post alone, but if you knew me, and people like me (Millenial/Gen X youngsters), you’d see that we always have a plan, an alternative.

I won’t be giving anything up for Lent. Instead, I’m going to add something. It’s been over a year since I’ve picked up my journaling Bible, and that is changing this spring—not for Lent, but for me and for my relationship with my Savior

I urge you to add something similar to your life, something that has you in His Word, something that means something to you, and something that you will love to continue after Easter. Husbands and wives decide to skip Valentine’s Day because “it’s commercialized” and “manmade”, and in a lot of ways, I see Lent in the same way. I don’t need to celebrate a certain holiday or tradition in order to grow closer to God. I know what has worked for me in the past, and I just need to do it.