5 Ways to Observe Lent in Your Marriage

Lent consists of forty days beginning in February and leading up to Easter. For people who practice Lent in the Catholic tradition, Lent is a very sacred time where they sacrifice something for forty days to understand what Christ did when he died on the cross. Most Protestants, however, do not observe the holiday so seriously as it is directly tied to Catholic tradition, with some theological views opposing Protestant beliefs. Just because Protestants don't practice Lent regularly doesn't mean you can't start. Lent can symbolize a great time to reflect on the death of Christ and help us become more like him in the process. Here are five ways to observe Lent in your marriage:

One of the activities Jesus is known for before his death on the cross is his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. There he prayed so hard that he sweated drops of blood, asking God to allow him not to suffer so hard. Although God's answer was No, and Jesus had yet to fulfill the purpose of atonement through his death and resurrection, you can use your time as a couple to pray and ask God for the deeper things in your life. wedding you want to see.< /p>

Although God's answer may be "no" in some of these situations, He will honor you for taking the time to pray and ask Him anyway. Pray earnestly for your children, your finances, your health, and any other areas of your marriage where you would like to see God do miraculous work. Whether God says "yes" or "no" is irrelevant. Commit to praying to God as Christ did in the garden. You can choose to pray for one area per day for the next forty days until Easter, or you can choose one thing you would like to pray for regularly every day for the next forty days. Whatever path you choose, God will honor your faithfulness to Him when you present your requests to Him. It will bring you spiritual growth and bring you closer as a couple.

Lent is a time when we observe the great sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross. No matter what religious denomination you belong to, Lent can be a very sacred time when you learn to sacrifice something specific to better understand what it means to be like Christ. It can be something as simple as desserts or social media, or it can be something bigger. The possibilities are limitless. By giving up something for forty days when Easter comes, you may find that you don't miss that thing at all. Not only will sacrificing something you love help you understand the great sacrifice Christ made, but it could also be better for your physical, spiritual, and mental health.

Throughout the time before his death, Christ showed great love for his enemies. Jesus taught us many lessons on how to deal with those who are against us. If you're not sure what Christ did, take a moment and choose one of the gospels to read. You can read one chapter a day for the next forty days until Easter or read in a few days. Note all the ways Jesus treated the Pharisees. Sometimes he spoke truth and love, and other times he chose not to say anything at all. While Jesus was full of grace, he was also full of justice and truth. Jesus also struck a remarkable balance between humility and knowing his authority through his Father. We can also demonstrate these qualities during Lent. Asked the Lord to lay on your heart a few people you might consider enemies. It could be unbelievers, family members, or other people you disagree with. These may be people who have chosen to completely break off the relationship with you, or people you are just inclined to argue with when you are in their presence. Ask the Lord to do miraculous work in this relationship. Christ always speaks of reconciliation, not division. Ask Christ to use this time during Lent to reconcile you to a relationship with which you felt there was no hope. Commit the relationship to the Lord and do your best to reconcile.

For Catholics, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. It is a day in February when people go to church and the priest anoints their foreheads with ashes made in the sign of the cross. People wear them all day to commemorate their dedication to the Lord and His sacrifice. God made us from the dust of the earth, and there will come a day when we will return to the earth as dust. It is the outer symbol of this idea.

You can still choose to go to church during this week in remembrance of Ash Wednesday, even if it is not a Wednesday. Your church may not end with the reception of ashes, but you can go to church in a gloomy posture, remembering that we were made of dust and that one day we will return to dust. If your church has a prayer room, my...