We can be tempted to think, “Where is God?” or “How could God let this happen?”
Lent allows us to reconsider and reframe these questions.
Lent puts the light on us individually. It causes us to think through our daily lives and where we find ourselves. It allows us to take a look at how we’re doing. And not in a casual, surface level way - but in the deeper more honest way.
When we go there we realize how flawed we are. We see our sin. We see the areas where we need to grow. We realize how empty we are. We get a sense for how empty our life has been or how it can tend to be when we keep chasing, and in some sense, hiding or avoiding.
When we get to this place, the questions change.
Instead of, “Where is God?” we realize he’s been there all along, waiting for us to see Him. The issue isn’t where is God but where are we.
Instead of, “How could God let this happen?” we realize because of his great love for us he will never impose himself. There is a pain here, because without getting to this place, we might assume we want and expect God to control. But really, we don’t want that. We have the freedom (by His grace) to come to Him. Love lives in this freedom. The question isn’t about God letting something happen, but about us and what are WE doing. Will we have the courage and faith to crawl back into his lap?
Sometimes the best help is no help at all.
God loves us enough and trusts us enough and is patient enough to let us come to Him. Lent allows us to remember this and take action.
Lent allows us to reconsider and reframe these questions.
Lent puts the light on us individually. It causes us to think through our daily lives and where we find ourselves. It allows us to take a look at how we’re doing. And not in a casual, surface level way - but in the deeper more honest way.
When we go there we realize how flawed we are. We see our sin. We see the areas where we need to grow. We realize how empty we are. We get a sense for how empty our life has been or how it can tend to be when we keep chasing, and in some sense, hiding or avoiding.
When we get to this place, the questions change.
Instead of, “Where is God?” we realize he’s been there all along, waiting for us to see Him. The issue isn’t where is God but where are we.
Instead of, “How could God let this happen?” we realize because of his great love for us he will never impose himself. There is a pain here, because without getting to this place, we might assume we want and expect God to control. But really, we don’t want that. We have the freedom (by His grace) to come to Him. Love lives in this freedom. The question isn’t about God letting something happen, but about us and what are WE doing. Will we have the courage and faith to crawl back into his lap?
Sometimes the best help is no help at all.
God loves us enough and trusts us enough and is patient enough to let us come to Him. Lent allows us to remember this and take action.