Something Even Better!

I grew up in a Southern Baptist church, where Lent was not something that was practiced. So it took a bit of getting used to when I embraced the United Methodist tradition some thirty-plus years ago. And while I have come to greatly appreciate the spiritual value of sacrifice and the giving up of things for Lent over the years, I may have gotten too comfortable, complacent, or perhaps lazy in my fasting. I tend to give up the same things each year – and focus too much on the legalistic, self-discipline, or just “getting it right” aspects of my abstinence.

I recently came across an interesting perspective on the fasting concept when I had the opportunity to catch a sermon by the Rev. Brian Wilkerson. One of the main points of the sermon was that “giving up something we desire leaves room for God to replace something good with something even BETTER.” He went on to suggest that instead of thinking about how much we miss what we are temporarily doing without, we could use that moment to consider what God thinks is missing in our lives.

If you’re like me, I have what I call my occasional internal whinings: for example, “I would sure love that beer that I gave up for Lent right about now” – or “Oh man, it’s still six and a half ‘til Sunday, when I can celebrate and scarf that three-pound bag of Peanut M&Ms I stashed in my glove box!” I much prefer the concept of taking that negative grumble and turning it into something positive. It becomes positive the moment we ask God to take that void and to fill it according to His will. It then seems like we have replaced a negative thought with the start of a prayer – and potentially an even longer conversation with God.

Now, I’m not saying that I’m anywhere near proficient at what is for me a new Lenten aspiration; but I feel like if I work at it a bit more, I may be able to grow into it. As Christians making an effort to hear the voice of God during our journey toward being an Easter people, I wonder if we sometimes focus too much on the act of giving up and the sacrifice itself. Perhaps, as Rev. Wilkerson says, Lent is not so much about what we give up, but how we allow God to fill the void. When we fast, we have made a conscious decision and effort to remove something from our life during Lent as a sacrifice or gift to God. Perhaps the greater gift would be to allow God to fill the hole we intentionally created for Him in the first place!

Prayer: Lord, I realize that my sacrifice is small compared to what you gave up for me! But I give it freely and gladly in the hopes that you will take what I don’t really need and replace it with something you feel is even better! And God, please be with my sister, Bev, who is suffering mightily with a 17 day migraine. Be with her and Barb as they travel to Chicago, and for the doctors as they work to find her some comfort – or even better….a cure! In your Good name. Amen.

-Brad Stayton