And I Got the Bruises to Prove It

When I was in second grade, I nailed Lent.

I had this unfathomable idea of giving up all television for forty days as a pretty big "eat my shorts" to my fellow classmates who were attempting to forgo chocolate all of thirty minutes.

Honestly, it wasn't an easy feat (as evidenced by the bruises I amassed blindly groping my way through the living room as my father sat on the couch watching the screen and silently assessing if that time I fell out of my car seat had done any permanent damage).

But I did it.

I did Lent.

No, scratch that.

I won Lent.

Now, as someone who currently talks to Jesus as often as I breathe, I realize that really wasn't the point of Lent...like at all.

There is no "winning" Lent. There is no checklist of things I have to do in order to win God's favor and prove that I'm "better" than everyone else who'd rather give up Stevia in their coffee than stop binge-watching the Kardashians.

Lent isn't a requirement in the Scriptures. However, it can be a beautiful opportunity to connect deeper with Jesus and our Father by refusing our flesh something it mistakenly believes it "needs."

And in the act of doing so, we realize how much more we need our Creator than that five millionth episode of Hoarders on YouTube.

(I like watching people clean things. Sue me.)

Jesus did the unthinkable for us, so maybe, just maybe we can do the slightly uncomfortable for Him.