We continue in the season of Lent and here is some Lenten guidance and encouragement.
Encouragement in Small Steps and Simple Rhythms
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” — Zechariah 4:10
Every year with the invitation of Lent, there is a temptation to go big and make “over-promises” to God. It’s easy to set lofty goals of fasting, hours of prayer, and total lifestyle overhauls. However, we find that these quickly fall apart under the weight of our daily reality, leaving us feeling more discouraged than growing in faith, hope and love.
The Beauty of the “Small”
True repentance and growth in holiness often happen in the quiet, repetitive choices we make when no one is looking. It’s about consistency over intensity. Being “faithful in a very little” (Luke 16:10) is the way to live. When we pick one small thing and stick to it, we are making room for the Holy Spirit to reshape us.
What if we all picked just one thing?
Maybe it’s no phone for the first hour after waking.
Maybe it’s swapping one podcast for a time of intercession, praise or blessing.
Maybe it’s finally reading a Christian book sitting on your shelf.
Let’s Not Grow Weary
The Apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” We will reap the good of this Lenten season if we do not give up. This is not to say that we should be striving, in fact we should move away from the pressure of “doing more” and move toward the joy of “being with” Him. Let’s be intentional about this.
Shifting Focus
If we spend about a week about being intentional with starting small, then the week after we might want to think about being intentional with our relationships. We can keep going with our ‘one small thing’, and at the same time shift our focus outward. In John 4, we see Jesus doing something intentional. He didn’t just “happen” to be at that well; he went out of his way to walk through Samaria, a place most Jews avoided, just to meet one woman who was used to being ignored. How can we follow Jesus’ lead and “cross the street” to meet someone new?
Try taking the “long way round.” Most of us have a set routine, but what happens if we break it? Try taking a different route or sitting in a different spot. Move through your day, allowing yourself to be “interruptible.” You might be surprised by who God puts in your path when you aren’t in a rush.
Practice radical listening. When you do get into a conversation, try just asking questions. Instead of thinking about what you’ll say next, really listen to their story and really listen at the same time to the Lord. What does He want for this person at this moment?
Lent is a season of returning to what matters.
As further encouragement, we can consider:
Who might the Lord be directing us to bless with ‘living water’?