The End of Lent - How It Was and What I Learned

Wow. It's been almost two months, TWO MONTHS since I last wrote. It seems like forever but at the same time not all that long ago. I've been contemplating what exactly to write for my first post-Lenten post and wish that I had something monumental and inspiring to share, but I don't. I think I will begin with a "how was Lent and what did I learn" discussion.

Lent for me was a fairly peaceful time this year. I wouldn't call it a life changing spiritual time, but I would say that as a whole I felt a general spiritual peace. Just as with most things that go on in my life I think I could have put in more effort on my part--more prayer, more reading of my Bible, more time going to church--but I do feel more nourished spiritually than if I hadn't put any effort in at all.

I had a goal for myself to read all of the Gospel of Matthew, and I nearly did. I have just two chapters left and I will be able to successfully say that I've read 1/4th of the Gospels. Before Lent I realized that it would be very important as a Christian to have a greater knowledge of just what God says in the Bible, and I felt that at the very least I should read the Gospels. I figured that Matthew was an excellent place to start. I've also always wanted to read John and Acts and never have sat down and read them, so I will soon be starting on these as well. I'd love to also start tackling the Old Testament as well. When I was younger I started reading at the beginning and got stuck when I was somewhere around Deutoronomy. I love you, Lord, but no offense: the 613 Laws can get a little boring sometimes. I think I'll maybe reread Genesis and Exodus and then start in with Joshua and move on through. The history of the Jews fascinates me, and what better place to get their story than here.

As said earlier, I wouldn't call Lent a "life changing" time for me. I had no major spiritual awakenings or enlightenment per se. However, I can say that there were times that in small ways I could feel the hand of God in my life. It would be in simple but very helpful ways such as Him providing me with patience on a day that I felt might be very trying or giving me a calm mind when Livers was throwing a tantrum or behaving in a way that could lend itself to me losing my temper and reacting rather than helping her. I could feel and see his blessings on my family as he put food on our table, a roof over our head, the comforts of home, and in the new things that my daughter is learning. I think sometimes people only notice God in the large ways and as a result get disappointed because things don't happen when or as often as they would like. If we would stop and truly notice everything going on in our lives and around us, from the grandest to the most minute, then we truly would see the hand of God in our daily lives. I think the "stop and smell the roses" mentality is very important when it comes to God in our lives.

So, what did I learn during this Lenten season? I learned that even though I felt I did "OK" on my journey and my attempt to better my relationship with God, I could most certainly improve things. I think that if I put as much effort into my relationship with God as I did with other things in my life (I wouldn't go so far as to say friends, because I'm a bit of a hermit sometimes) then we could be doing much better together. I would like a stronger relationship but need to pray for the strength to go that extra mile. I know He's there if I were to just reach out. I just need to do that.

I also have learned that I actually WANT to start reading the Bible. I've often seen it as a chore that a Christian needs to cross off of their list, and as a result I would only periodically (and I do mean periodically) read a chapter (or verse) or two and then put it down for a long while. I'm reaching a point where I want that knowledge more and more rather than feel I must begrudgingly force it on myself. And I think that it's beautiful that I'm here. I pray it keeps up.

I also learned that it's very important to take stock of the small ways that God is in your day and makes it beautiful, and that I need to find something to be thankful for every day. There have been some days that I have had to seriously wrack my brain to find something, because it's just been "that" kind of day, but I still would try, because when I step back and think about it the beauty and blessings of God are everywhere, from the rain you might find annoying but that provides you with water to drink and keep clean (very important for a region like mine where drought has been prevalent) to the screaming, tantruming child who makes you forget everything with a snuggle at bedtime and a cry for the comfort only you can provide.

My hope and prayer is that I don't let these lessons leave me like I often let them. I want the small bit of spiritual momentum that I have in me right now to grow into something more beautiful and lasting, and I pray that it does.