I was raised by very traditional German Lutheran (Missouri Synod) parents. As such, there was a lot of emphasis in our home on both church doctrine and secular tradition. During Lent, doctrine put our focus on spiritual preparation for the Good Friday commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus and especially the good news of Easter, celebrating His resurrection. Tradition dictated that we did not eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and went to church every Wednesday.
Having struggled with my church life for about ten years now (long story!), I’ve abandoned many of the church traditions in favor of a more spiritual and personal faith walk (another long story!)
This year however, perhaps because I just marked the ten year anniversary of this ongoing struggle, I’ve been feeling a gentle pull back to the church. After seeing many posts about what people were “giving up for Lent,” I decided to research the doctrine vs. tradition question of this act. Growing up, it was not part of our tradition and was viewed as a very Catholic practice.
While doing this research, I felt another tug as I came across a Lenten devotion series from The Lutheran Hour Ministries titled Light Shines In The Darkness.
The emphasis on light over darkness is what caught my eye. This daily email and readings come from the biblical gospel of John. It starts with the Christmas story and ties together subsequent stories of the life of Jesus with a look toward Easter joy. I appreciate the look forward to a positive; redemption as a gift from a loving Father. I like the idea of reading, listening and reflecting. I feel like this is a timely and appropriate activity for me, personally.
We’ll see what difference forty days of presence to the gospel message makes. Will it lift my spiritual struggle or make it even more difficult? Will the daily devotion be just interesting reading or a life-changing revelation? Will this forty day commitment make any difference at all?
Whether I feel moved toward religion or continue simple spirituality, I am certain this thoughtful practice will prove to be a good use of my time, energy, heart and brain. Instead of giving something up I’m taking something on and that’s exciting! Documenting inspiration is a regular part of my routine so I also plan to keep a journal of sorts, jotting down ideas for further consideration.
Thought a form of light in the darkness, so let the light shine brightly!
In mid-April, after Easter, I’ll follow-up with a post reflecting on the forty days.
Do you have a religious or spiritual practice that helps you? What difference does being fully present to that experience make in your life?
