A Lent Challenge

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Recently a preacher on Radio 4’s Sunday Worship spoke of a mentor who embraces a new challenge during Lent each year, instead of giving something up. One year she learned to juggle, another year to play a musical instrument and so on. The purpose is to renew her sense of being malleable and open to change, to help her remain sensitive to the movement of God’s Spirit in her life. This has stayed with me and though I haven't taken up juggling, I am trying to reflect on being more open, ready and willing to change in line with God’s prompting.

To push myself out of my comfort zone, next Friday I hope to embark on a small adventure. I’m going to take a trip on the tube with no plan. I’ll get off at a station in an unfamiliar area and go and explore, being open to experiencing a new place. The idea is to let go of my constant need to schedule, plan and research.

It's all too easy to become more and more set in our ways as we grow older, more stuck in our comfort zones: our particular way of doing things; our preferred doctrinal encampment and style of worship and so on. How can God's Spirit work to mature and equip us in new ways for his service if we are no longer pliable? He is the potter and we are the clay; the essential quality of clay is its pliability.

So, this Lent, why not try a new food from an unfamiliar culture, go for coffee with someone you wouldn’t usually hang out with, or read a book by an author from a different theological persuasion, open to learning something new? If you can think of other ideas please share in the comments below.