I’m going to begin this article by saying that even though Lent is a Christian practice, that doesn’t mean you have to be Christian to necessarily partake in it. I also want to reassure you that by no means am I going to try and convert you or anything. I’m really just here to give my experience with Lent, and how stripping away the religious characteristic of Lent has still made me a better version of myself.
Simply put, Lent is the spiritual Christian preparation for Easter. It lasts 40 days, excluding Sundays. It begins on Ash Wednesday, which (if you’re not familiar with it) is when you see some people walking around with gray smudges on their foreheads for a day. The purpose of Lent is to give up something you usually really love or use daily, and it’s supposed to serve as a kind of representative sacrifice for how Jesus died on the cross.
For me, Lent serves as a period of practiced discipline that has either helped me kill old habits or has taught me how to abstain from things that I know aren’t great for me but that I indulge in anyway.
When you shed away all of the spiritual qualities of Lent, it’s essentially the practice of discipline. Can you last 40 days without your favorite food, TV show, or Starbucks order? Lent reveals the commitment you have to your future by ignoring something you want now for something you want that’s better for you later on. In a way, Lent can even be considered a form of self-love. It’s also nice how Lent conveniently falls just around the same time that our New Year’s Resolutions have been given the hard shoulder. So basically, if all of those resolutions have gone down the drain, you get a second chance.
Yes, I know, fasting sucks. No one wants to give up something that they love, but strengthening your willpower takes a certain strength of character that’s quite rewarding in the end. When I was younger, I used to give up all kinds of things that my older self would look back in admiration. I got sloppy throughout high school and college because I made excuses for having too much on my plate to participate in Lent. I didn’t feel like going through the struggle of not eating sweets, or not ordering fast food because I was hungry, and it was easy. However, this year, I realized that I needed a little push in my life, something to make me appreciate all of the things I already have.
The day after Lent is the most rewarding because you can finally tell yourself that you did it. You conquered the challenge, and now you can see how far you have come. This Lent I gave up bread, which hasn’t been my easiest go-around, but it’s tested my willpower and how I hold my dignity when being tempted.
Overall, Lent fosters personal growth, resilience, and the inner force in us that contributes to a more successful life down the road. Whether you’re a Christian or not, I believe that sacrifice is good for the soul. It expands my courage and strength on the inside and gives me the power to see how tough I really am if I just put my mind to it. I encourage you to try Lent out next year or hop on the train for the remainder of the season. Good luck!
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