11 Lent Christian Practices for Growing Your Faith
Have you grown up celebrating the season of Lent in a special way? Or is it something you’d like to start doing? Either way, many Lent Christian spiritual practices will help you grow in your faith and strengthen your relationship with the Lord any time of year!
Traditionally, Christians honor Lent as a time for reflection, penance, and fasting, lasting from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.
Whatever your denominational or religious tradition, during Lent Christians can dedicate time for reflection and spiritual growth as we focus on Jesus. This blog post suggests 11 ways to grow in your faith during this time.
Other blog posts to check out:
You can read more historical background about Lent here.
Find Holy Week Bible reading plans with readings from all four gospels.
Giving Something Up + Gaining Something Better
Throughout my childhood, I sometimes practiced the discipline of giving something up for Lent, like many Christian denominations do. I was always intrigued by the idea as a child.
Was my willpower strong enough to abstain from something I loved for the entire forty days? Playing to “not lose,” I would give up something specific like chocolate rather than all sweets and desserts. In my mind, I thought it was best not to be too extreme…and giving up all sweets was a little unrealistic for someone with such a big sweet tooth!
I can laugh at that mindset now, but I know why the practice was so difficult: I focused only on the deprivation and taking away.
I didn’t think about filling the void by consuming spiritual food, nor did I understand the true purpose. It’s not a test of willpower and proving my faith, but an opportunity to separate from the world and seek the kingdom of heaven.
Ultimately, it’s about relying on God and developing a closer relationship with Him.
As an adult, I have an entirely different focus when fasting. A fast is not a spiritually charged diet program. And the Lord doesn’t demand a sacrifice to hear my prayers or consider them worthy of answering. Jesus covered all of that on the cross.
Along with many Christians, I appreciate the reminder at this time in the Christian liturgical year to honor this ancient tradition called Lent and take time for self-reflection and celebrating the life of Jesus.
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The Lenten Calendar
Why is Lent 40 days? For one thing, it’s symbolic of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Lent is the 40 day period, excluding Sundays, preceding Easter.
Holy Week is the last week of Lent. The first day is Palm Sunday, when you may see palm branches in special services. Other holy days observe the marked events of Jesus’ final week, including the Lord’s supper.
Holy Week includes:
Palm Sunday
Holy Monday
Holy Tuesday
Spy Wednesday
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday
Resurrection Sunday
You may find yourself reading this post after Ash Wednesday has passed, but you can still look into the Christian traditions associated with the time of Lent leading up to Easter Sunday.
So wherever you are, I would encourage you to take a small or maybe large step in your pursuit of a more intimate relationship with Jesus. Here are some ideas to get started.
11 Ideas for Lent Christians Can Practice
Commit to a morning or evening quiet time/devotional time
For the next forty days, commit to spending consistent time with the Lord every morning before you start your day (or at the end if that works better for you). Every day doesn’t have to be identical; the important thing is to make the time.
Busy activities fill our days, but keep God as a first priority!
Set a reminder to pause and pray 3x a day
Maybe you spend time with God in the morning, but He doesn’t cross your mind again as you race through your hectic day. Try setting three alarms on your phone or mark your calendar as a reminder to pause, pray, and reset.
The Bible shows us Daniel by custom, “continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God” (Dan 6:10) even when threatened by his enemies. Intentionally taking time to pause and refocus can transform the tone and experience of your day!
Memorize one Bible verse a day
Can you imagine the power of having forty scripture verses memorized? The Bible tells us the sword of the Spirit is the word of God (Eph 6:17). It’s a mighty weapon for us in spiritual battles!
You can pick a topic you’d like to study, choose a verse from your daily bible reading, or work through a book of the Bible (the Psalms, Colossians, Philippians, and Ephesians are all good choices). Write the verse on a card or put a note on your phone and work on meditating and memorizing throughout the day.
Complete a 40-day Bible reading plan
There are many bible reading plans available, whether topical or chronological. You can search an app like the YouVersion Bible app or an online plan. Another option is this 40 Days with Jesus Bible study.
The number of options can be overwhelming, but pick one and stick it through to the end. You may even find yourself completing multiple plans in 40 days. The goal is not to complete a certain amount of reading but to form a daily habit.
Another option is to create your own plan: 1-2 chapters from the Psalms + 1-2 chapters from the gospels daily.
Study the life of Jesus
Lent leads up to one of the most critical days in the history of Christianity: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Have you studied the life of Christ in depth?
Through the gospels, study resources, and spending time in prayer, make it your intention to really know Jesus Christ.
Limit or completely abstain from media
This could be social media, TV, or magazines. Work through the discomfort of not having that “thing” for forty days, and see the payoff in return. When considering what to give up, you can ask yourself two questions.
What is consuming my time with no fruitful return?
Is there something I’m using for distraction, numbing, or entertainment when I should be turning to God first?
Abstain from specific foods during Lent
You could participate in a form of partial fasting, abstaining from specific foods during the Lenten season. Not only does this serve as a spiritual practice, but it also benefits physical health and energy.
Give up foods that don’t serve your body, like junk food, fast food, packaged snacks, desserts, soft drinks, etc.
Fast 1-2 days each week
If you have not fasted previously, it’s always wise to consult a doctor and read up on best practices to ensure you fast safely. Drink lots of pure, filtered water throughout the day and get plenty of rest. Start small and gradually increase the duration of time you fast.
Read this blog post for more on how to start Christian fasting as a regular practice.
40-Day Daniel Fast
The Daniel Fast is a partial fast in which you abstain from all meats, animal products, sweets, and alcohol. A typical Daniel Fast includes plant-based foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
We have plenty of resources on the Daniel Fast here to help you get started.
Find a way to serve
Whether you officially volunteer with a church or nonprofit, or take a meal to a friend or neighbor, find a way to show kindness and bless someone else. Jesus gave us the example of serving others.
Random acts of kindness can include a handwritten note, paying for a stranger’s coffee, or doing a chore or errand for someone. It doesn’t have to be a huge gesture to make a grand impact.
Commit to community
Engage in your faith community. Maybe you’ve been attending church sporadically or haven’t joined a small group. Proverbs 27:17 says that, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
Being involved in a faith community is biblical and helps us grow, flourish, and support one another. Don’t do life alone!
Growing Your Christian Faith During Lent
Some of these steps are small and won’t take an excessive amount of time. A few of these spiritual practices for Lent require a more substantial commitment.
Think about your journey over the next six and a half weeks, and decide if one or more of these practices fit as you continue to seek God and become closer to Him. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (Jam 4:8).”