What is Lent? Depending on the church tradition you are familiar with, Lent may be either a familiar practice you hear about every year or something completely foreign. Growing up in the Methodist church, Lent was always part of the conversation. There were discussions about how we were observing Lent that year, what devotional books we would use, and what accountability groups were available. Sometimes, it was promoted from the pulpit; other times, it was encouraged in smaller Bible study groups.
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." (Matthew 4:1-2)
Lent originated in the early church as a pastoral response to the challenges of rapid church growth, persecution, and the need for spiritual formation. With new converts flooding into the faith, church leaders needed a structured process for discipleship, baptism preparation, and restoring those who had renounced Christ under pressure. Early church leaders called their people to devote themselves to a regular season of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving to form themselves as more mature Christians. This season became later known as Lent.
Some are skeptical of Lent, seeing it as either legalistic or unnecessary. “Aren’t we already righteous in Christ? God doesn’t need our fasting!” Yet Scripture teaches us that Jesus sets us free not to discard spiritual disciplines, but to love God and others more fully. Contrary to what our culture often tells us, freedom isn’t simply about doing whatever we want. True freedom is found in willingly letting go of certain comforts and attachments—because in doing so, we gain something far greater: deeper fellowship with Jesus.
“When we practice Lent in the spirit of Jesus, it’s not about making God happy, looking spiritual, or repeating empty traditions... Lent is about Jesus—and, therefore, about love. The Holy Spirit uses fasting, prayer, and generosity to satisfy us with God’s fatherly love. As a result, we are moved to share that love with others. And that is history worth repeating.”
Aaron Damiani, The Good of Giving Up
We can participate in Lent today by practicing the three key elements:
1. Fasting: The partial fast—known as the Lenten fast—involves cutting out part of your diet such as sugar or desserts, alcohol, meat, caffeine, or dairy products. Many Christians today also practice temporarily stepping away from distractions. One year in seminary, I fasted from social media and I was surprised by how much more time I had. The key to sustainable fasting is to celebrate Sundays as feast days—little Easters that remind us to rejoice in the gospel. Christ died on our behalf, setting us free eternally from our greatest burden: sin.
2. Prayer: Fasting without prayer is empty. Instead of eating the food we crave or mindlessly scrolling our phones, we turn to prayer. We pray our fears, doubts, and struggles, bringing them before God rather than numbing ourselves with distractions. We pray with our brothers and sisters in Christ, carrying one another’s burdens and remind each other of God’s faithfulness. We also pray in dependence, allowing the denial of our desires to draw us to Jesus, our true sustenance, whose strength is made perfect in our weakness.
3. Almsgiving: Though we might be paying off loans, battling fatigue from long workweeks, and feeling the weariness of our responsibilities, Lent reminds us life isn't just about meeting our needs. In the Bible, God first cares for His people, providing for them spiritually and physically, and then He calls them to care for the weak. Whom do you encounter in your daily routine? What needs consistently arise in your community? Take a walk in your neighbourhood, praying for those you see. Serve in your community. When someone asks for help, invite that person to share a meal. Give as you're able to your church.
"On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken." (Isaiah 25:6-8)
Friends, there is a feast awaiting you in heaven. As you wait, Lent offers you a season to remember this eternal perspective. This year, why not set something aside as a way to reorient your schedule, your diet, and, more importantly, your affections to the gospel? Take a break from the things that so easily consume your time and attention, and instead, feast on Christ. Let your hunger, your longing, and even your discomfort draw you deeper into His sufficiency as you anticipate the joy of Easter’s celebration.
