How Is Lent Relevant Today? Part 3: The Spirituality of Lent
How Is Lent Relevant Today?
Part 3: The Spirituality of Lent
We have previously highlighted the history of Lent and some
physical benefits of fasting. Let us now take a look at the spiritual benefits
of fasting.
Lent has traditionally been a time for Christians to approach
God through prayer, fasting, repentance and self-denial. Followers of Jesus
remember the suffering, death and resurrection of their saviour; marking the season
of Lent with forty days, based on Jesus’ time of fasting in the desert while he
was tempted by Satan.
Non-believers may choose to give up one or more of their
pleasures for the season of Lent. Their forbearance and self-discipline may
give them a feeling of satisfaction of a sacrifice made which may ultimately benefit
their health and welfare.
The benefits of such self-denial however may prove
short-lived, particularly if followed by a season of self-indulgence, where any
gains will be soon forgotten. Humans are naturally ill-disciplined and it can
take a lot of effort to maintain sustained improvement. How long does the
average New Year’s resolution last?
This is why we need someone to help us become more disciplined;
someone who won’t give up on us in our time of weakness. In his hymn “I’ve Found
a Friend in Jesus, He’s Everything to Me”, Charles William Fry writes “He’ll
never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here, while I live by faith and do
His blessed will; a wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear”. Does this
sound like just the friend that you’ve been looking for?
Once you accept Jesus as your saviour you are free from dependency
on your own strength. He is infinitely stronger than we can claim to be, so why
not lean on Him to cast our cares “on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will
never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:12 NIV).
Fasting during Lent is a gift that God has given us to help
us persist in our prayers. It draws us close to God, giving our prayers more
power. The Bible shows us several explanations for fasting; here are just a
few:
- to be more like Christ (Matthew 4:1-17; Luke 4:1-13).
- to repent from sins. (1 Samuel 14:24; Nehemiah 1:4, 9:1-3; Jonah 3:8)
- to reinforce prayer (Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:17-29; Acts 10:30; 1 Corinthians 7:5)
- to ask for God’s assistance in times of emergency (Nehemiah 1:4-11; Ezra 8:21-23).
Fasting can become an onerous task if not supported with
prayer. Always ask for God’s guidance in how you should manage your fasting.
Refer to the articles below to help you choose how to fast; there are a number
of options you can choose from. Most importantly, always check with your doctor
or physician if you are unsure whether you should fast.
Do You Know Jesus?
If you do not know Jesus, or maybe you really don’t understand the question, you may have many questions that need answering. There are many people: church pastors, Christian friends and online resources where you can find the answers to those questions.
In the first instance you are very welcome to contact me. My telephone number is +44 7906 710 979 or you can email me at paultforrest@mail.com.
I personally recommend a resource called Try Praying. You may have seen banners advertising it in your area. You can get a booklet or a phone app. Click here for full details.
I hope you have enjoyed this blog post and you have received something worthwhile from it. If you have any further question, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me at the above telephone number or email address.
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