My Lenten Reflection
On my forehead yesterday at church I was marked. “You are dust and to dust you will return,”
was spoken.
It’s about impossible to not have my thoughts return to
traveling Lent with cancer. (Lent is a
period of time in the winter/spring before Easter.)
Because 6 years ago today I found a lump
breastfeeding my baby, Kate.
Here
are 5 things I learned to survive & thrive during Lent:
5.
Take care of those you love
What extra thing can you do this Lent to
show those you love that you really do
care about them? People love to hear about and do random acts
of kindness,
and those are lovely.
But what deliberate act of love can you chose to show the love of Christ to
your family or friends?
4. Take care of your body
Your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit. Consider as your Lenten penance
a
shift in your perspective of your
body more this way and act accordingly.
It’s one thing to give up an
overindulgence. It’s quite another thing
entirely to
NOT take good care of yourself.
When was the last time you went to the
dentist/optometrist/had a
physical? Or took a quiet walk on a
tree-lined street?
What steps can you take to take care of
the body you were entrusted with?
3. Take care of your mind
every time you complain, even to yourself. Do you mentally put yourself down?
Philippians chapter 4, verse 8 (the Bible) says we are to think of whatever is:
true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent, or worthy of praise.
Why? So that we are thinking of things that lift us up and give us joy.
What steps can you take to be transformed by renewing your mind? Find a
positive saying or Bible verse to place where you will see it often.
2. Take care of our soul
didn’t do any self-care. You know, those things we do that nurture our
own soul.
It’s a great thing to live an unselfish life. But we can’t live entirely for others or
we have no life, no joy to continue to give.
If you have some major life change happening right now, don’t add anything
new to your spiritual or emotional to-do list.
Focus instead on: how can I live these next 40 days in the very best possible
way? How can I find joy moment to moment? How can I react well to my
changing situation?
Are there steps you can take to nurture your soul so you are in the best place
possible to respond to life and God’s calling?
1. Take care of your heart
What is the general state of
your emotions today? That Lenten season
6 years ago I was a hot mess. My
emotions swung wildly but mostly in the negative direction.
It felt impossible to “let the peace of Christ control your
heart” (Col 3:15 NAB).
Looking back at those
moments where I did find peace
I realize a couple of things. One is those peace-filled moments were preceded
by pouring out my fear, anxiety and grief out to God.
Only when I was empty could I be filled with peace. I need a quiet place where
I know I have time and no interruptions before I can feel those deep emotions.
What steps can you take to empty your heart so it can be filled?
What are your ideas for having a great Lenten season?
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