If you\u2019re GIVING UP<\/strong> something for Lent<\/strong> it\u2019s important to know what you will be TAKING UP<\/strong> too. In the six weeks leading up to Easter (40 days not including Sundays) many Christians use this time to observe some form of fast. The discipline of self denial can have many benefits (spiritual, mental and physical) if done in the right way – emulating the 40 days that Jesus was tested in the wilderness.<\/p>\n The gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus \u2018ate nothing\u2019<\/strong> in the wilderness (Luke 4:2) but a fast can take a great variety of less extreme forms. For example, we may choose to miss one meal a day by skipping lunch or we may decide to cut out sugar, caffeine, alcohol or chocolate for Lent – which of course has immediate health benefits too. Other popular things to GIVE UP for Lent include social media, watching TV or video streaming.<\/span><\/p>\n All these are great ways to \u2018give up something for Lent\u2019<\/strong> and as the Holy Spirit leads you I\u2019d say \u201cGo for it!\u201d However, at the same time please also consider what you are going to TAKE UP for Lent<\/strong>. You see, what is very easy to miss when we focus on what we are going to \u2018GIVE UP\u2019 is the empty void that \u2018stopping that activity\u2019 is going to make in the day.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, instead of a daily lunch break activity – making\/acquiring the meal, eating the meal, socialising while eating, cleaning up\/disposing of the meal – there will be an empty gap in the middle of your day! If you are considering giving up TV, the average Brit spends just over 4 hours a day watching TV and video content – so you\u2019re going to have a lot of time on your hands! Not to mention the average of one and a half hours a day we spend on social media.<\/span><\/p>\n For a more in-depth article on fasting read: THE POWER OF FASTING<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n My point is, perhaps even more important than GIVING UP for Lent is considering what we are TAKING UP for Lent.<\/strong> Considering what you are actually going to DO<\/strong> during your time of abstinence is so much more positive and opens up a world of edifying possibilities. <\/span><\/p>\n We may set out with high hopes of locking ourselves in the prayer closet for hours at a time (and again – if the Holy Spirit leads you, go for it!), but for most of us this is a great aspiration that needs to be worked towards (perhaps start with 5 minutes?) – So here\u2019s some suggestions for activities to take up during a Lent fast:<\/span><\/p>\n There are many great resources out there (books and videos) for daily devotionals over Lent and these can provide helpful guided Bible readings, reflection and prayer. Simply go to Amazon (or your book store of choice) and search for ‘Lent Devotional’. Consider a theme focussed devotional or working through one of the books of the Bible with an attitude of reflection and meditation.<\/span><\/p>\n You may even consider learning and reciting a passage of scripture – it’s not as hard as it sounds if you do it consistently over a period of time.<\/span><\/p>\nTAKING UP<\/h3>\n
GUIDED DAILY DEVOTIONALS<\/span><\/h3>\n
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