the lenten season

Easter is just less than a few days away, and I can't help but think of the past several weeks walking through this Lenten season alongside my husband. Every year my husband and I participate in Lent, and it usually involves us sacrificing something ... usually involving food. Although Lent is seen as primarily a Catholic practice, we wanted to 1) prepare our hearts for the upcoming Easter (I feel at times, as Christians, we don't set aside time to truly observe the weeks prior to Easter) and 2) grow closer in our relationship with God. 

We wanted to the Daniel Fast for this Lenten season. Personally, as someone who absolutely loves food of all kind (and secretly wished to have gone to culinary school), I knew this would be a hard discipline for me to step into. For the most part, we disciplined ourselves to only eating what was appropriate for the Daniel Fast, which meant saying, "Bye!" to Taco Tuesdays, snacking on sweets during our work hours, and all you can eat BBQ. But I wanted to do something 

To be honest, it hasn't been the easiest for us. There were moments where the enemy so cunningly whispered lies into our ears. There are times when our flesh wants to take control over our circumstances. And there were days that were more difficult that others. But knowing that this is a time where we need to refocus our relationship with God, we've continued to pray for God's guidance throughout this season.

This verse continues to pop in my mind as I face each day's challenges:

“My flesh and my heart my fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26).

There's no question: We need God. And not just during times where we are stuck in the valleys, desperately wanting to go back up on the mountaintops. We need to depend on God to work in our lives. Every day, there are a new set of responsibilities and challenges, and how often do we rely on our strength instead of leaning onto God for all understanding? In today's world, much strength is needed day by day, and we can't do it alone. Throughout the Psalms we see this man David, who desperately longs for the Father ... who realizes and accepts that he cannot do it alone, and he cries out to Him. 

I find that during this Lenten season, it's difficult for me to cry out to God in the same manner as David did. And I can name a number of reasons why (pride, fear, embarrassed, etc.). But I need to remind myself that those reasons are just excuses. All things are possible with God. You hear this too often because it is the truth. It’s important to exercise faith in God’s Word, and believe in His Word.

He is our strength. 

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him." (Psalm 28:7)