The Lenten Season
It's a time of repentance and reflection, of perhaps a need for solitude.
Jesus engaged in it frequently. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus went to the wilderness for an extended period of fasting and prayer. He continued to do so throughout his ministry, and the pattern continued into the final days of his life, when again he withdrew into the solitude of the garden of Gethsemane to pray. He ended his ministry, as he began it, with the practice of solitude. He taught his followers to do the same.
What makes solitude so important?
Solitude is the one place where we can gain freedom from the forces of society that will otherwise relentlessly mold us.
Solitude requires relentless perseverance. It requires us to slow down, to commit. Wise followers of Christ have always understood the necessity and benefit of solitude. It is, to quote an old phrase, the "furnace of transformation."
At the end of the day, it can be helpful to review the day with God, to hand any anxieties or regrets over to him. Here is a format the author finds helpful that maybe you'd like to add to your Lenten journey this year.
Reviewing the Day With God
- Be still for a moment and quiet your mind.
- Acknowledge that Jesus is present. Invite him to teach you.
- Go back in your mind to when you first woke up. Watch that scene, as if on video. This may lead you to pray for patience, greater love, courage, forgiveness, or other virtues.
- Continue through the day, scene to scene. As you reflect on them, some scenes may fill you with gratitude, others with regret. Speak directly to the Lord about this. You may also be led to pray for some of the people you were interacting with during the day.
- End with a prayer of thanksgiving for God's mercy and love. Ask him to refresh you as you sleep.
From John Ortberg in his book "The Life You've Always Wanted" (available in our HFUMC church lending library.)
"People nowadays take time far more seriously than eternity." Thomas Kelly
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