This is the title of our current series at church. It’s so timely as we enter a time of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter. For me, Lent has always been a special time of year. My granny Lila honored this time of year. She brought our family together in community and over good food. I still remember everyone crowded in her small home, but with so much joy. Every corner of her home was unoccupied by someone talking, laughing or eating. It was truly a home filled with love, community, and Jesus.
I’m reading a book called “Practicing the Way” by John Mark Comer and it speaks to all these spiritual practices that I saw in my granny’s home for so many years. I didn’t think much of them then, but today I know that it was part of my granny’s spiritual formation. She practiced what Jesus practiced in his ministry. Jesus spent time with his disciples, shared meals with people, even tax collectors, stepped aside to pray, and made his ministry about helping and bringing people together.
Did you commit to a spiritual practice this Lent? Are you fasting from something that perhaps like me has taken you away from community and spiritual formation? I am fasting from social media. I’m not on it all the time, but I reckon enough to notice that it isolates me and others because we feel that connecting through a post is enough to build meaningful relationships, but this is a lie the enemy wants us to believe so that we achieve isolation, his point of entry.
My hope is that as I learn to practice the ways of Jesus, I can begin to open my heart and home to build community with others in a society that prefers to see us busy and achieving. There are several spiritual practices that help us live like Jesus, but it all starts by eliminating something in our life to make room for new spiritual practices. For anyone on this 40 day spiritual journey to Easter, may you be encouraged to persevere in your efforts to get closer to Christ.
If you feel called, please share if you are fasting or engaging in a spiritual practice to get closer to Jesus. I’d love to hear how you are seeking a more rich and fulfilling life. I hope my granny inspires your journey!
Inspire to be Inspired 