The Generosity of God: Giving Up and Receiving During Lent

In popular understanding, Lent is all about giving up something tangible. These intentional acts help us to remember what God sacrificed for us and to reflect on the work of Jesus Christ. During seasons of Lent, when I have given things up, I have seen God pour His blessings into me.

One year, for Lent, my family gave up our bucket of chocolate chips. A friend said, “Wait, What? You keep chocolate chips in a bucket? I want to come to your house.” In fact, we did. We purchased them in bulk and kept them in one of those gallon ice cream containers that are great for storing so many things. Looking back, it is amazing how something as small as giving up that bucket of chocolate chips pointed me to the abundance of blessings that God has provided.

I enjoy eating well. Another year, I felt God leading me to replace solid food with liquids for a day. The idea of fasting from physical food scared me. It did not go well. In retrospect, I was more focused on the substitute smoothies than in spending time in prayer and meditation. Since then, my perspective on fasting has shifted. I am reminded that it is God who nourishes me in deeper ways. His spiritual sustenance should fill my life in ways that far surpass any physical food or drink.

Sometimes, God calls us to give up things that that cannot be physically tasted or touched. When my daughter was an infant, I gave up my identity as an employed person for Lent. I loved her dearly, but I also enjoyed my work. The instability of part-time hours and part-time day care became less and less sustainable. I discerned that God was asking me to lean into my identity as a mother and set my job aside. The amazing thing was that – before Lent was even over – God gave employment back to me. When a coworker needed to care for a terminally ill family member, I was able to pick up those extra hours. Appropriate day care arrangements fell into place. I returned to work with a better heart posture. Work and family are both incredible gifts from God. However, my most important identity is found in my relationship with Jesus Christ.

The early church understood the centrality of a relationship with Jesus. They often used Lent to prepare new Christians for baptism on Easter Day. Together, the believers studied the teachings of Jesus and grew closer to Him. This understanding helped me to see that Lent could be about addition instead of deprivation. What spiritual practices could I add that would help me to follow Jesus more closely? One year, during Lent, I made a daily commitment to recite the Lord’s Prayer. Thy will be done, Lord.

Another year, I focused on the discipline of hospitality. I took Paul’s command to “practice hospitality” literally. We invited college students to share a Sunday meal with us each week. Afterwards, we studied the Bible together. They kept on inviting their friends. I did not know in advance who, or how many, would be at our table. Yet, somehow, we always had enough bread or mashed potatoes. I found such joy in walking with these young adults as we discovered God’s grace together. God provided abundantly as I sought more of Him and less of myself.

As we continue through the season of Lent, I challenge you to consider how God is inviting you to intentionally deepen relationships with Him. May your self-sacrifice bring you greater joy as you draw near to Him.