I was not raised in a denomination that practiced Lent. But I have this admission to make…
I always felt I had missed out on something when my girlfriends came to school with the Cross fashioned from ash on their foreheads. As the days passed and they shared what they were giving up, I felt like I had not sacrificed anything at all.
I chose to give up bread. Not all starches, just bread.
Here we are – eight days into the Lenten season and last night, I failed. Eight days! <<Click to Tweet
I sat down to eat dinner at Bertucciʼs last night. Only when I was halfway done with my salad did it hit me and I exclaimed (in shock actually), “I ate a roll. I ATE a roll.”
Without even thinking, without paying attention, I ate a roll. I was so disappointed in myself. I have been processing my Lenten failure since.
Perhaps part of what Lent makes us realize is we truly will crave that which we cannot have. Kind of like the forbidden fruit that became Eveʼs downfall. Or maybe, it is we are not as disciplined as we would like to make ourselves out to be. Or perhaps it is to make us realize – we will fail.
I think it is only as we are transparent, and to the degree we are transparent, will we grow.
Know what I am learning from my Lenten failure? Grace upon grace. <<Click to Tweet
That is what my God gives to me, to each of us. Lent is not only teaching me all I’ve mentioned above. It is also teaching me how very much I need Him, a Savior. My Savior. Apart from Him, I can do nothing.
So today, I picked myself up and moved forward. I continued Lent. I vowed once again to give up bread. I dedicated today to Him. For today is all I have. Yesterday is done. Tomorrow has not yet come. I only have today, this twenty-four hour segment of time in which to focus on Him, The Bread of Life. My life.
That is all I have and all I can do.
And know that this life?
Well it is all grace.
His grace. <<Click to Tweet
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. (John 1:16, NLT)
Joanne Viola will be celebrating her 35th anniversary with her husband this May. She has two children who are both now married. She is also "Mimi" to two granddaughters whom she watches while their parents work. She loves Jesus, God's Word, people, reading, and several cups of coffee to start her early mornings. Since discovering blogging, she loves to share her days and thoughts with others on her own blog, http://daysnthoughts.com/.