Lent and the gym

I am dragging my feet about Lent. It’s coming and I’m not entering this season with excitement. (Disclaimer – I’m expressing a struggle, not diminishing the importance of Lent). This morning it struck me. Going to the gym is like going into Lent. Truth be told, I don’t particularly love either. I go to the gym for the sole reason that it’s good for my body. If tomorrow they released a study that said, exercise produces no health benefit, I’d be done with that. I know Lent is good for my soul. If Jesus did it, then I need to embrace it as well. So I will enter in.

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…” (Luke 4:1). This makes me feel good. Jesus was led into the desert. I don’t know if he joyfully entered in, scripture doesn’t elaborate, but regardless, He was led and He went. Sometimes we need to be led to get somewhere. It’s just a little push to get us moving. If we strongly resist being led, we won’t go anywhere. To be led requires cooperation on our part. So Lord, I want to cooperate.

There are a lot of similarities between Lent and the gym. They are both good for us, one spiritual, one physical. It takes discipline when procrastination and laziness tug at our heels. Consistency yields results. Endurance is the only way to finish. Determination is surprising. It kicks in when everything else screams “quit”. There is always more in reserve than what you think. No one said either would be easy.

I have prayed and prayed about Lent and what the Lord would like me to embrace for 40 days. It’s still not clear. One thing is though, I would like to be closer to the Lord. I would also like to be spiritually stronger at the end of Lent, whatever that looks like. Lenten plans may not be clear for you either, but showing up is half the battle. You can’t grow spiritually or physically if you don’t show up.

So tomorrow morning, I’m showing up for Lent. I have no idea what that will look like, but I will meet Jesus and see. Coffee and settling into my prayer chair is how I’ll start and then the Spirit can take it from there.

There’s a gal at the gym who just had major surgery. She walked into the gym today for the first time since her surgery. The welcome she received would have melted anyone’s heart. She was received with cheers, embraces, and words of affirmation for her endurance, determination and strength. A mighty feat. She’s not at the finish line yet, but she is heading that way and she sure is an inspiration; and to boot, she was glowing.

We push and plod through our lenten season with determination and endurance. It may have challenging times or possibly the entire season might be tough. At the end awaits a celebration. And like the gang at the gym that celebrated this gal, we too will celebrate. We will celebrate the victory of the cross. We will celebrate the triumph of life over death. We celebrate Jesus. And I think Jesus will celebrate us.

“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit…” (Luke 4:14)

And maybe, just maybe, we too can return to our “Galilee” after time in the desert, just a little stronger spiritually, and just a little more filled with the power of the Spirit…just like Jesus.