The Power of Lent

3/23/2025

Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God.

Lent is a profound season in the Christian calendar, a period of forty days that leads us to the celebration of Easter. It is a time marked by reflection, repentance, and renewal, where we are invited to deepen our faith and draw closer to God. The power of Lent lies in its ability to transform our hearts and minds, guiding us through a journey of self-examination and spiritual growth.

Central to Lent are the ideas of repentance and renewal. The Bible calls us to repent and turn away from our unproductive and hurtful thoughts, words, and action. Acts 3:1 says: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Lent offers us the opportunity to confess our sins, seek God’s forgiveness, and experience the cleansing power of His grace.

Through letting go of the darkness within us, we open our hearts and minds to God’s Light, and the renewing of our relationship with Spirit. As in all spiritual things, Christ is the way. He is the example of how to relate to God, love God, embrace God, and magnify God within our being. Lent commemorates the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness, where he demonstrated the self-denial, fasting, prayer, and resistance to temptation, as described in Matthew 4:1-11. This period symbolizes our own spiritual journey, where we confront our weaknesses, ego, and temptations, relying on God's strength and grace. It is a time to strip away distractions and focus on what truly matters – our relationship with God.

Jesus taught us the importance of prayer and fasting in Matthew 6:16-18: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do... But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen.” Through prayer and fasting, and the practice of self-discipline, we draw nearer to God, seeking His guidance and strength.

Another important aspect of Lent is almsgiving – the practice of giving to those in need. Jesus reminds us of the blessings of generosity in Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Lent calls us to extend charity, compassion, and kindness, reflecting God's love to others.

Lent teaches us several valuable lessons that can shape our Christian walk throughout the year. The first is humility and dependence on God. Our Lenten journey reminds us of our human frailty, our mortality, and our need for God. We will be giving these bodies back. We are told in Genesis 3:19, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Lent is a time to acknowledge our limitations and surrender to God's will, trusting that He will sustain us.

If there is one verse that captures the essence of Lent, it is Micah 6:8, where we are told the three things that God requires of us: Do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, trusting God. Be just, be merciful, be humble. These are expressions of gratitude, the means through which we demonstrate our thanks to God for all that we have been given. In this sense, Lent is a deep expression of thanksgiving.

Participating in Lent also teaches us perseverance and discipline. Lent challenges us to persist in our spiritual disciplines, even when it is difficult. Hebrews 12:11 encourages us: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Through perseverance, we grow in spiritual maturity and strength.

Another powerful lesson from our Lenten journey is a refined and sharpened focus. It is customary during Lent to give up something. Fasting has been mentioned, but it can also involve luxuries, things we like to eat, do, or wear. It can be the way we respond to people. We might give up being intolerant or some other aberrant horrent behavior or habit during Lent. What we give up is irrelevant; it is just a means to redirect our focus onto love, on to Christ.

Lent is a time to release our gaze on the world. As Psalm 46:10 teaches us, “Be still and know that I am God.” It is a request to be quiet and reflect on God, yes. But more than that, it is a command to release, surrender our desires for control, cease our thrashing and fighting, and recognize that God has ultimate control.

To ‘be still’ is a call to discontinue opposition: In its original context, this verse is more of a battle cry from God to anything opposing God’s love and will, telling it to stop its futile resistance. It is a powerful assertion of God's authority over all creation.

To “know that I am God” is to trust in God's protection: The psalm begins and ends with “God is our refuge,” emphasizing that we can find safety and strength in Him, even when facing great turmoil. To “know that I am God” is to recognize God’s power: This verse calls us to truly know and acknowledge God's omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, and other virtues we have considered. It is about gaining a deeper understanding of who God is.

By being still and knowing God, we can find peace even when "the earth gives way" or "kingdoms fall". It is a reminder that God is in control, even in the most turbulent times. Rather than passive relaxation, this verse calls for an active choice to let go of our own efforts and trust in God’s work. It is about releasing our need for control and allowing God to act. In essence, “Be still and know that I am God” is a powerful reminder to surrender our struggles, acknowledge God’s supreme authority, and find peace in His sovereign control over all circumstances.

This is a powerful lesson of Lent. This period of the Christian calendar is about God saying to us, “I am Life, I am Joy, I am Love, I am Light, I am the Strength, I am the Power found in the Divine Silence to change, grow, and transform. I am the whisper you hear in the Quiet. I am God. I am.”  

Ultimately, Lent points us to the hope and renewal found in Christ. As we journey through this season, we are reminded of the promise of new life and resurrection. 2 Corinthians 5:17 proclaims, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 

The power of Lent lies in its ability to renew our spirits and deepen our faith in God. By embracing the practices of repentance, prayer, fasting, self-discipline, and almsgiving, we embark on a transformative journey that draws us closer to our Divine One.

But let us remember that we do not practice Lent to inherit God’s good or earn God’s love. We do not earn extra credit points in God’s eyes by subscribing to the Lenten protocols.  Whether we choose to participate in the Lenten season or not, God loves us and wants only good for us. As a child of God we already possess those things; we just need to reach out with open arms and accept them. Christ is ever present within our hearts and walks hand and hand with us whether we practice Lent or not.

Lent is not a necessity; it is an opportunity. It offers a chance to increase our humility, and practice being humble, disciplined, filled with hope, and bursting with gratitude. Lent prepares our hearts and minds to celebrate the joy of Easter and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.