And now, we are in the beautiful season of Easter. We always know how the story of Lent ends for Jesus and our salvation, of course, but we’re never sure how any particular Lent will end for us. Will we be able to say “mission accomplished” when it comes to our Ash Wednesday checklists of what was to be added and subtracted? Will we return to our pre-Lenten habits, or will we use what we learned to move even closer to God?
I’ve had good Lents, and not so good Lents. In terms of spiritual growth, I’d rank this one fairly highly:
- I managed to blog each day, and touched a few people.
- I added some service at a few points, and I think did it pretty well in His name, rather than for my own self-aggrandizement.
- I stepped away from some ministries that had become more about me than about Him, and put some distracting, time-wasting activities aside.
- I pared back my social calendar and spent more quiet time in contemplation and prayer.
Now comes the tricky part. I won’t be blogging daily anymore, for example, and a look at my evening commitments this week shows a distinct lack of quiet time. Still, I will be looking for opportunities to share thoughts about God and love and the spiritual journey we share on a more regular basis. And I will strive to keep those positive Lenten changes in my daily life… and look for other ways in which I can better live those two greatest commandments.
