Lenten Reflections

I'm feeling the withdrawal symptoms of my TV fast. It's the way my hand instinctively reaches for the remote when I'm on the sofa and not talking or reading a book. It's the urge to have more stimulation when I'm feeding Sascha in the morning. Why is it hard for me to just sit in silence? Why do I find it appealing to read while the TV is on in the background? I've become the very kind of person I tried not to become.

I grew up without a TV in the house. (It was a practical decision on my parents part. You don't have to control TV viewing if you don't have one. Kids are more apt to do their chores when not tempted to catch up on their TV viewing. Pragmatic Germanic thinking.) I was happy, content and very stimulated for all 18 years of my growing up without it. Now it seems I can't imagine life without the boob tube.

As I reflect on my desire for stimulation, I realize that what I'm settling for is convenience and distraction. I want to feel more connected. I want to be entertained. I want to experience adventure, so I'll settle for a vicarious experience. I'm facing up to the fact that I'm probably spending hours a week wasting opportunities for real connection and adventure by settling for the fake stuff.

As you ingest the daily portions of Scripture during this Lenten season, let your interaction with it expose what it is that you're really hungry for. Whether you might think of your fast as a trial or test as James 1 says, allow the unfamiliar cravings and discomforts lead you to discovering what it is that you really desire. Let's not settle for less than that which is truly life-giving.