Why I gave up giving up for Lent

The season of Lent is upon us. Many Christians dismiss Lent as a “Catholic thing,” and many observants choose to give up bad habits during the 40 days as a form of penitence. In my younger days, I also gave things up: sweets, soda, McDonald’s food (when I worked there in high school). These days, I focus less on giving up and more on the meaning and origins of Lent.

Lent is an observance of the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert alone preparing Himself for His ministry, passion, and crucifixion. Jesus subjected Himself to God’s plan wholly and resisted temptation from even the Devil. We should [strive] to do the same. Lent is so much more than passing on a drink or a cookie and is a time to refocus or reorient our lives on God in preparation for the miracle of Easter. Maybe Lent is the time to attend church, to dive into the written Word, or to join a new ministry. One of the pastors at church eloquently stated that Lent is a time to pour ourselves out to be refreshed at the Resurrection.

How do you observe Lent?