Lent 2018
Name: Olivia Suh
Lenten Commitment: Spend quiet time with God every day and journal about her experience
Before the start of Lent, I never thought about what I was going to commit to very deeply. I was born and raised in a Christian family, but I never had a strong understanding of the Bible and I feel like that has hindered me from having a close relationship with God. I did my QT only to get it out of the way, instead of doing it for God. So, for Lent this year, I chose to do my QT every morning before school.
Because it is my first year participating in Lent, I believed setting a small, attainable goal seemed like the best first step. Although it sounds like a simple task to accomplish, I was not confident in my ability to wake up at 6:30 every morning to spend time with God.
On top of doing my QT every morning, I am also keeping a Bible-reading journal to help me have a deeper understanding of the God’s Word and grow closer to God through scripture.
The first few days of Lent were successful for me. I was able to consistently spend 10 minutes with God through QT, and another 10 minutes writing down observations I made in my Bible-reading journal to help the information stick with me.
Over the course of this Lent, I have realized that I knew a lot of stuff about God on a surface level but never really thought about what this meant on a deeper level. This is where QT journaling has helped me the most. My QT journal has a template of questions that helps me examine what the Bible passage is saying, how it teaches me more about God, and how I can apply them in my life. These questions have really helped me understand what I read and understand how strong and mighty God is.
I have learned that God has done so many things for me. He sent down His only Son to be killed for the people that sin and hate him. And what really struck me was how God really is a father. I can go to Him when I am sad or just want someone to talk to.
Unfortunately, after only a couple of days of doing this, it got harder for me to spend 20 minutes with God without being distracted. Some days I would only spend five minutes doing my Lent and other days I would just skip it completely because of my laziness. Now, I try to push through my laziness and finish my QT without being distracted so that I can have a better understanding of God.
And honestly, if I was not doing this Lent, I do not think that I would have missed out on anything. Before Lent, I spent so much time on my phone when I could have done something more productive, like doing my QT or spending time with my family. This Lent helped me gain a new perspective, put my phone down, and spend more time with God.
For the remaining weeks of Lent, I hope to understand God’s words more and more each day.
This post is a part of DSYG’s Lent Reflections series meant to educate and inspire readers on the season of Lent and its value in any Christian’s relationship with Christ. For more information on this series, click here.
To read more posts in this year’s series, click here.
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