I Gave Up Fasting For Lent
My New Christianity Today Article
From the outset of this newsletter, I’ve explored what it means to live as a spiritual minimalist. I believe we live in an unprecedented age of distraction and overconsumption.
Since the advent of the church, Christians have always lived in the culture as shining light, as an alternative way to live. And that way pursues Christ, shows love to our neighbours, and values people over products.
I challenged myself, and you, dear readers, to envision what it might look like to re-evaluate consumption and replace things we consume with a lifestyle of “going without.” I asked five questions to get us started.
What can I live without?
What pleasure(s) or luxuries distract me from spiritual intimacy with God?
Have my desires mastered me?
Am I willing to lose myself in the service of the spirit?
When was the last time I fasted in order to draw close to God?
These questions prompted me to embrace a lifestyle of fasting this year—and beyond if that’s where the Lord leads me on this journey.
Today’s Lent looks like giving up a pleasure or vice or luxury for Lent. Some people add a practice to their Lenten rhythm. And I’m not saying any of these Lenten observances are wrong. But this year (and I kind of do this every year) I’ve given up fasting for Lent.
No vice or pleasure or luxury. Instead, I’m exploring what a fasting lifestyle looks like. The fine folks at Christianity Today thought this an interesting path and have published my thoughts on it.
As always, I’d love your thoughts on this topic, so feel free to read and shoot me an email with your thoughts. If you’ve emailed me in the last week, and not heard from me yet, this article is why. So, I’ll soon be catching up on all your thoughts and questions.
Remember, sharing is caring, so feel free to pass the article on to friends and loved ones and social networks.