Lent: Making Room For Rest

The other day at school, a 7th grader proudly shared with me all the foods she is giving up for Lent: chocolate, potatoes, and bread. Another student leaned into our conversation, confused. He had never heard of Lent. Student number one explained, “Lent is when you give up stuff you like before Easter.” Student number two quickly leaned out of our conversation. He wanted no part of that fun.

Dictionary.com defines Lent:

noun

1. (in the Christian religion) an annual season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting 40 weekdays to Easter, observed by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and certain other churches.

This Easter season, I have chosen to look at Lent differently. Yes, I am “giving up stuff I like”. However, more than this, I am replacing that “stuff” with something else.

Cease Striving.

I am making room for rest. I have chosen to “give up” some things on my to-do list. I am allowing others in my home to pick up some of my slack. But most importantly, I am exchanging my busyness with much-needed quiet (to the best of my ability).

You see, I am weary. My life is taking its toll on my already not-so-awesome health. Finally (sorta), I am accepting what my body is able to do, and what it can not. I am learning to build margins around my health. I don’t like it! Yet, invincible I am not.

I relish the fact that Jesus implores us to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11:28). In fact, Jesus called Himself the Lord of the Sabbath (see Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28, and Luke 6:5). Jesus left the crowds and allowed Himself rest time (Mark 6:30-32).

The following quote from Charles Swindoll, is highlighted in my journal. It is from the book Jesus: The Greatest Life Of All:

To enter our Sabbath rest, we must come to God in humble submission to His truth and in complete dependence on Him. In order to cease our striving, we must transfer our trust away from our own abilities, our own accomplishments, our own strength, and place it on His provisions.

Lean In.

In transferring trust from my strength to His, I lean into God’s rest. This is my season, a Lenten submission.

As I explore this year of Surrender, I lay my striving down at His feet. I make room for my Sabbath Savior and only the rest He gives.

How about you my friend, have you “given up stuff you like” this Lenten season? What about rest? Do you need to cease striving and allow Jesus in? Where do you need to build in margins? Join me as we lay our striving down at His feet and focus, closer than ever, on His death and resurrection, and make room for rest.