Give It Up—Why and How?

Give It Up—Why and How? … Good morning on this middle of the week lovely day I love to call Hump Day! Yes, I did just visit Elvis, the very large camel that doesn’t live far from us in New River, Arizona. Every time I do, he smiles and comes over to the fence and we have a wonderful conversation. I asked him once what it was like to not be roaming in the desert, his beautiful eyes gave me the answer, “I am well loved here so that wasn’t hard to give up.” I’ve spoken with his owners and they agree, Elvis has deep wisdom and a very huge heart (as well as appetite)!

Since we are in the throes of what Christianity calls “Lent” this Elvis’ wisdom conversation got me thinking of all the years that we took 40 days to “give up something.” To be honest, this giving up starting in the Catholic church so our family wasn’t a huge participant of what our Catholic friends called ‘Lent Give-Up’ but I will say every Wednesday at church when you were a kid and wanted anywhere else to be but in another church service, seemed like a heck of a lot to give up—Wednesday night was playing basketball—girls and guys.

But the idea now of ‘Lent Give-Up’ is pretty much integrated in many churches and I find it sad for those churches who don’t use this incredible spiritual discipline. For me, the idea of giving up chocolate-movie-etc., is un-spiritual. In this time of Lent, where we should be reflecting on our lives, confessing our sins, and taking a serious step of living our faith with a deeper walk with the Lord, giving up trivial stuff like chocolate is, well, just dumb.

Lent gives us an opportunity to “deep think” and in our crazy society which runs at 100+MPH every day—we need this time. So, if you are one who still wants to give up something, make it one of true sacrifice, true giving—anything that takes you to a deeper walk with God. Often called the “Great Fast,” the days of Lent can also be a time to do a spiritual reset, or as I call it,’ decluttering and re-focusing on what really matters.’ After all, the purpose of Lent is to give up the things keeping you back from God. Lent, to me, is a spiritual discipline and I don’t need to brag about what I’m giving up, it is between me and God and the intimacy makes my time even more powerful. As I “Declutter” my mind I find it truly a great way to release physical and spiritual clutter and focus on developing my relationship with God.

Rev. Rick Hamlin has written a lot about Lent, sacrifice, etc., and his latest 15 ideas below may just help us to declutter our heart, mind, and soul and live better by getting rid of:

Scripture has many passages about turning back, coming home, going deeper in faith, etc. A favorite for many and my go-to is Psalm 51:16-17. I’m using The Voice translation because it gives us such a deep passion in King David’s words:

I would surrender my dearest possessions
or destroy all that I prize to prove my regret,
but You don’t take pleasure in sacrifices or burnt offerings.
What sacrifice I can offer You is my broken spirit
because a broken spirit, O God, a heart that honestly
regrets the past, You won’t detest.

So, as we all journey through Lent in whatever way we approach it, make these 40 days one for spiritual discipline. Find those disciplines that you have trouble with and give them back to God in fervent prayer, asking for forgiveness and desiring God’s help. By doing so, we are saying to God, “I know I’m a physical being with natural wants and desires but you, O Lord, also made me a spiritual being with wants and desires that you are ready to satisfy.”

Then, when that urge for the thing(s) we’ve decided to “give up” for Lent comes—and it surely will—we can let that urge go and remind ourselves of what’s most important in our lives. And then, I encourage all of us to take a moment and thank our ancestors of faith for paving a way for a time called ‘Lent’ that can be powerful turning-points in our lives. AMEN.