Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash
When I was thinking of what to give up for Lent, I had a really tough time. I kept going back and forth, never able to think of something that really mattered or that would make much of a difference in my relationship with God. I decided to just be practical about it and give up a social media app, which I figured would cut down on my procrastination and allow me to focus on my homework more. So far it has worked exactly as I planned, and I am finishing my homework with extra time to spare. I have even been getting to bed earlier which allows me to get more sleep which I desperately need.
However, this sacrifice has also come with unexpected benefits that I had not even considered going in. In my newfound free time I have been spending a lot more time praying and thinking about my faith. I feel that in such a short time, and by giving up something so small, I have actually been able to strengthen my relationship with God, which I wasn’t expecting. This experience has taught me that I, along with probably many other teenagers, live a very cluttered life. I am always trying to fill my time with something, always stimulating my brain in some way, and not always with good things. I wasn’t leaving enough time for God, who really should come first. By simply removing one aspect of my life which was totally unnecessary and useless, I have gained something so great. The beginning of this Lent has been a great lesson for me which I will carry with me in all of my Lents to come. From now on, I will ask myself, “What is cluttering my life and taking time away from God?” I believe in doing this, I can make much more meaningful sacrifices in the future.
Jack, Class of 2020
Music: Kathrin by Sascha Ende
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/430-kathrin
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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