I think we need a reframe for Ash Wednesday and Lent. Lent is not the holy season of beating up on ourselves by noting everything we are doing wrong. Lent isn’t the dreaded season of self flagellation, nor is God wanting to beat up on us either! It’s not the season of guilt and shame though those may be roads we pass through between now and Easter, but guilt and shame are not the destination. 

Rather, Lent is the season of getting HONEST, getting CLEAR. Lent is the season that society says doesn’t matter and our souls beg to differ. Lent is a big fat permission slip TO SLOW DOWN and take stock of your life, your heart, your faith, your connection or disconnection with a loving God. Lent is the very season that may save your soul and by that I mean rightsize your current life and empower you to live in the flow of a loving God. Without the hard work of self examination during this season in the wilderness, you may never be able to put your finger on what isn’t working in your life, hear the whispers of the Spirit leading you into the new life God is calling you into. You may completely miss out on being set free from that which binds you and living a Resurrected Life.

You can find an extended podcast episode of this nugget here.

You can find a 10 minute meditation on Mindful Christians podcast entitled Entering the Wilderness. Use it as often as you wish. This meditation is a practice of grounding and centering in the present moment mindful of how the Holy Spirit is the one leading us into the wilderness of this season. 

You can find a transcript of the podcast episode here.