message to a mentor

While seeking out where it originated, I found some pretty interesting thoughts on Lent from various sources

(the Restored Church of God's views gave me a bit of a laugh...

"Abomination Masked as Christianity

God is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33). He never instituted Lent, a pagan observance connecting debauchery to the supposed resurrection of a false Messiah."

So angry and confusing in itself! It continued, but I think you get the point.)

But from what I got out of the other sources...
Lent's purpose is to help Christians return to living Christ centered lives through prayer, repentance, giving, and self-denial. The idea being, that as humans, we need the reminder to keep Christ first. And in self-denial, if we take the time each day to spend with God and reflect on our own suffering, we might better understand the suffering and temptation Christ went through.

While this did lead me to want to honor God in this way, I'm not participating in the exact same way. My conviction is now to spend the next 40 days examining where I am lacking submission to God. To seek out where Andrew is being glorified and not God, and reverse it. I'm not sure what I will deny myself at the moment, but I'm sure there will be things I discover which are hindering my walk with Christ and I shall deny myself these things.

Where it all started is still a little fuzzy for me though. The internet isn't all to clear on some things. From what I'm gathering it wasn't a first century Christian tradition... but started some time later (5th century maybe?).

...I'm sure you have some knowledge on the matter ;)

I am still frustrated with what peoples offerings have become and how uninvolved the 40 days are. But I suppose that's a passion that God can use to build something more of the time in the years to come.

-Andrew Nycum