Lent as Boot Camp

Well, here's one of those posts that I just had to share, even though I said I was slowing down here. This is from Pastor Will Weedon at Weedon's Blog.

I was talking to a friend tonight about Lent, and a most important point came up that I think I've failed to mention here before. Lent is NOT about making changes to your life for six weeks and then reverting to your previous ways come Easter. That's exactly wrong. Lent is about making changes that become HABITUAL (six weeks worth) and are intended to strengthen your discipline in those areas. Think of it as a boot camp. You're being trained in the disciplines of fasting, prayer, almsgiving so that these become EVER GREATER parts of your walk with God. And because you do this all under God's grace, you are set free from fretting that if you fail, God won't love you or some such. Rubbish. His love in Christ for you is already unshakeable. God's not impressed by the disciplines; YOU need them, not He. They are blessings for you. So don't think of Lent as temporary fix, but as life-transforming, habit-forming boot-camp for life in the Church Militant.