When friends have asked me what I’m giving up for the Lent, I give them the short answer: ice cream.
The longer one that I spare them from goes something like this:
This Lent, I’m trying to give up all of the things that keep me from being the kind of person that God wants me to be. Passing on ice cream reminds me of the self-defeating thoughts, impatience with others, lack of trust, and other tendencies that I should be passing on. In tuning out the sound of the soft-serve machine calling my name, I can tune into God’s voice telling me, “Hey, you don’t need all that other stuff either. Let’s work on getting rid of that.” I can create a space in my stomach and, more importantly, in my heart to feel God’s presence and promptings in my life. I can fill that space with good things like listening more attentively to my friends, reaching out to others, and prayer.
After Easter, I will happily resume my ice cream obsession, but hopefully, I’ll be forty days closer to giving up those things that keep me from being the best version of myself for good.
-Christine F.
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