Turning our hearts toward God…the season of Lent
Today is Ash Wednesday. The first day of the 40 days that will take us to Easter.
And yes..if you do the math it is longer than that but you don’t count Sundays.
Go ahead.
I can wait.
Don’t worry…I checked too.
If you haven’t figured it out, I like old school so I intend to do something to set the next 40 days (plus Sundays) apart.
There are many ways to put ourselves in a position of drawing nearer to God.
The best way is the way you and God work out together.
Some ways I have heard of include:
Fasting – anywhere from parts of each day, to once a week, to something that is a special draw for you (social media, electronics, soda, coffee <GASP>, sweets…ask God, He will tell you. As a hint…the one that makes you go “NO!!! Not THAT!!” is most likely it…)
Study – use the multitude of word studies available online (unless you gave up electronics…) and set aside time each day or on a certain day to concentrate and dig into the Word OR…pull out that Bible study you never finished and finish it…OR choose a book and read it over several times
Simplicity – seek ways to do with less of the material things that you have come to rely on…make a pact to not purchase any new clothing items or anything decorative for the house or choose to eat less fancy foods…
and one I saw somewhere that I thought was just so perfect…
Practice forgiveness – is there someone in your life that you need to forgive (reminder…forgiveness is not saying they are right, but saying you agree that they owe you NOTHING…not an apology, not an evened score….nothing. As far as you are concerned, their debt to you is paid in full) …. use this season to choose to forgive…even if the feelings don’t accompany it.
I have found one of the greatest pathways of forgiveness is to write out a pray of blessing and prosperity — every good and perfect thing I can think of to hope for regarding those I hold dearest in my heart…and then pray that prayer every day for someone who has wronged me or betrayed someone I love.
OR…on a similar note…is there a situation that you go over and over in your mind…trying to figure out why God has allowed it…can you choose to simply lift it to Him each time it comes to mind and say “Thy will be done”?
Can we do it?
Can we ask God to show us some ways in the next 40 days [plus Sundays] to turn towards Him…or RE-turn to Him?
I pray we would all be attentive to the nudging of His Spirit…He is for us, not against us…His discipline is for our good.
Let us be obedient to pursue Him as we ….
journey onward through Lent 2016 <3