Me Less † God More

Lent is marked by the sacrifices we make between now and Easter. From church to my home, the holiday has always been a tradition in my family. However, between decisions of giving up chocolate or meat or GameBoy time, I think I became lost in what this tradition really meant.

Sure, when I gave up chocolate, it was hard to contain. Those deserts (always with chocolate) called my name the day after I chose my Lent sacrifice. Being the stubborn, perseverant person I am, I usually made the entire 40 days without taking even a nibble of a Hershey bar. But this still was not the point.  

Please listen to the testimony of talented and adorable Bailee Madison.

Part of taking up our cross is humbling ourselves and as Bailee said, not being prideful. It’s not about us, but rather about how great God is.

What is something in your life that is getting in the way of your faith journey?

Please read Matthew 16:21-28.

Lent is the time that we sacrifice to come closer to God. When we give up something that we struggle with, it is important that if or when we fail, we fall back on God.

This Lent season I have decided to give up worrying. Just thinking of this word makes me, well, worried because I know how much it has held me back from being the best person I can be. When the worrying begins, however, my plan is to pray or refocus my heart. Through this season, I want to grow in my faith.

Don’t go through the motions. Give up something in your life that is holding you back from being a better steward of God. He knows your heart and He can’t wait to show you what He can do with it. 

Take a moment to pray about what God would like you to work on in your life. 

*** Featured Cross Image by JR Woodward

Hide Less † Pray More

Hide and seek is a game we’ve all played when we were little. The seeker would count… ten… nine… eight… We would run and try to find the best spot. Seven… six… five… Where could we go that we would be hidden? Four… three… two…

If we played the game with a parent or with an adult, we still thought we were clever. Even though the adult could clearly see the feet under the curtain or the lump underneath the bed sheet, they pretended they couldn’t find us anywhere.

Even as we’ve aged, we still hide. We still find ways to get around things too hard or too uncomfortable and go to somewhere hidden. 

Where are the hiding places in your life?

In the Bible, there are several Bible characters that have hidden from God. From Adam and Eve to almost every character who encountered God, we have seen them shield themselves from Him. However, I’d like to focus on the first sin.

Read Genesis 3:1-24.

When Adam and Eve realized they were guilty, they become scared and hid. How many times have we done this spiritually? When everything gets too difficult or we don’t feel like we’re measuring up, we decide to hide behind our schoolwork, relationships, binge TV watching, or ______(fill in your blank).  

As Joshua Pease says, “It is time to stop hiding from God.” Once we realize that God has erased our sin at the cross, we know that there is no shame with God. We can be open. We can tell Him anything. He doesn’t want us to hide ourselves because He has already set us free.

How are you hiding yourself from God?

Please end in the prayer below, or one of your own.

Dear Father, I have hid from You in times that I need You most. Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that You could love me beyond my sin and doubt. I will continue to work to maintain an honest relationship with You, and through this, I will gain Your strength. Amen.

Photos above: Flickr