Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and marks the beginning of the 2019 Lenten season. For the past few years, I haven't really participated in the typically "giving up" something over the 40-day stretch. In fact, I honestly haven't given Lent too much thought at all. Which, as a follower of Christ, should not be the case.
However, this year I am doing something different. I will be choosing to give something up, but I will also be pairing that with extra time with the Lord. Because isn't that the point of Lent? To grow closer to God and strengthen our relationship with him. It's so much more than simply giving up chocolate, social media, or Starbucks. If we don't use the surplus of time or resources we now have to praise God, we could miss out on something amazing.
Yes, there is a valuable lesson we can learn from the sacrifice of whatever we chose to give up. However, I want more than just one valuable lesson. With that being said this year I am giving up social media, sort of. Screen time is something I feel we all tend to struggle with from time to time, and it's something I've let take priority over God some days. For the next six weeks, I will only be allowing myself to spend as much time on social media as I do with Christ. If I spend 10 minutes praying when I wake up, 20 minutes reading my Bible, and then another 10 in prayer before bed, I will let myself have 40 minutes to check social media. If I get busy and have to prioritize one over the other, it will be my time with God.
I am at a point in my life where my relationship with Jesus Christ is growing stronger every day, and I genuinely want to remove any distractions that could hinder that. I know some days this will seem easy, and I will feel so close to God. However, I also know other days I may struggle and desperately want to scroll through Twitter instead of reading scripture, a devotional, or praying. But this is one challenge where the reward is literally worth more than life itself.
If you have any prayer requests or suggestions for which books of the Bible you think I would enjoy, please send them my way! If you would like to join me, I would be thrilled to have an accountability partner. I am beyond excited to dive deeper into God's word and connect with him in ways I haven't before, and I pray you all are able to do the same.
However, this year I am doing something different. I will be choosing to give something up, but I will also be pairing that with extra time with the Lord. Because isn't that the point of Lent? To grow closer to God and strengthen our relationship with him. It's so much more than simply giving up chocolate, social media, or Starbucks. If we don't use the surplus of time or resources we now have to praise God, we could miss out on something amazing.
Yes, there is a valuable lesson we can learn from the sacrifice of whatever we chose to give up. However, I want more than just one valuable lesson. With that being said this year I am giving up social media, sort of. Screen time is something I feel we all tend to struggle with from time to time, and it's something I've let take priority over God some days. For the next six weeks, I will only be allowing myself to spend as much time on social media as I do with Christ. If I spend 10 minutes praying when I wake up, 20 minutes reading my Bible, and then another 10 in prayer before bed, I will let myself have 40 minutes to check social media. If I get busy and have to prioritize one over the other, it will be my time with God.
I am at a point in my life where my relationship with Jesus Christ is growing stronger every day, and I genuinely want to remove any distractions that could hinder that. I know some days this will seem easy, and I will feel so close to God. However, I also know other days I may struggle and desperately want to scroll through Twitter instead of reading scripture, a devotional, or praying. But this is one challenge where the reward is literally worth more than life itself.
If you have any prayer requests or suggestions for which books of the Bible you think I would enjoy, please send them my way! If you would like to join me, I would be thrilled to have an accountability partner. I am beyond excited to dive deeper into God's word and connect with him in ways I haven't before, and I pray you all are able to do the same.
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| Photo Creds: https://www.bible.com/bible/116/ROM.15.13.NLT |
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