LENT 2026: BELOVED, BE LOVED
FOMO (fear of missing out)……Do you have it? I am sure you do. I have it. Pause for a moment and ask yourself what am I most fearful of missing out on?
These are some for me: a party with friends, sweets when I am trying to be good that someone brings out, a good bottle of wine when everyone else is having some, a good bargain, a chance to connect with an old friend passing through town, time with my wife, an opportunity to travel, an invite to a cool event out of the blue from a friend, a training I really want to go to, a free meal, a date with my daughters. I get FOMO in all of these things. Where do you get FOMO?
So, can I ask you about what didn’t come to your mind maybe? How many of us have FOMO for God’s presence? Now, theologically we know God is with us and present to us all the time but so many things can dull my senses to that or turn my inner posture away from paying attention to how Jesus might be with me. Can you relate?
At it’s core, Lent invites us to not miss out on what the Trinity might have for us during a 7 week period in the church calendar. And the invitation of Lent is usually some type of Fasting.
Fasting? Who likes fasting?……not me
Fasting feels like a fast pass to missing out. Yup, FOMO. What if I give up something internally or externally for Lent? What will I do without it? How can I not have chocolate for this period of time? My birthday always falls in middle of Lent….hooray for you non spring birthday people. Or even deeper, what will I be without my resentment, unforgiveness, envy, ego, fear, anxiety, etc….
But what if the things I am holding on to so tightly to, the things I think I cannot miss out on, the things that seem to pass the point of moderation in my life are actually the things Jesus invites me to bring to him so that I can sense more of his presence. What if what is crowding my soul is actually covering up the longings I have. COULD FASTING JUST SIMPLY BE A WAY OF UNCOVERING THE LONGINGS I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MEET WITH OTHER THINGS? Now, there is no magic formula for to fasting. Fasting is more of a way of noticing. Noticing how Jesus receives me. So maybe fasting isn’t as much about what I will miss out on but rather what I will discover. What if fasting leads us to a deeper sense of our belovedness? Would I want to miss out on that?
Fasting isn’t a formula to get something from God but rather an opening of myself to sense his presence, his WITH-NESS. Lent is a season to create some space by turning toward, setting aside, and letting go. What might Jesus be inviting you to let go of this Lent season?
Join us each week here for more blog posts throughout the Lent season that will lead you to reflect on scripture, and your life with God for that particular week.