Have you felt like giving up? Like everything is just too much and you can’t carry on? Usually the result of this feeling is that we begin to streamline things – we start pulling out of commitments we’d agreed to, we start protecting our time and shutting ourselves away, and we begin to withdraw from others – sometimes even those closest to us. And, often even while we know that we need to care for ourselves better, we feel guilty, because we have, inevitably, let others, and perhaps even ourselves, down.
I want to suggest that the reason we get to this place, may not be because we have given up too soon, but because we haven’t given up soon enough! We hold on to too much – too many responsibilities, too many expectations, and too many activities – for much too long, and we end up having a breakdown of sorts where we know that unless we make some radical changes, we won’t survive much longer.
This is where the spiritual journey of Lent can be such a gift to us. This season is often thought of as a time of “giving things up”, and, of course, there are many teachers who rightly remind us that Lent is much more than this. To gain the spiritual benefit of the Lenten season requires more than just not eating chocolate for a few weeks, or not watching a particular TV show. But, that doesn’t mean that giving up cannot give us some wonderful gifts. Let’s not underestimate the power in the discipline of giving up.
If we were to develop a habit of regularly evaluating our lives, and giving up those things that were unnecessary, unhealthy, or just not our task, we would be far less likely to hit the burn-out or breakdown that leads to a total giving up. And that’s one of the important lessons that the discipline of giving up in Lent can teach us – that giving up should be an ongoing discipline, and it should result from a deep and continual evaluation of our priorities in the light of Christ’s call on our lives.
This is where worship is so powerful, especially in a season like Lent. As we gather weekly, we are reminded, through our songs, prayers and Scripture readings of the priorities of God’s reign. We are challenged to hear again God’s specific call on us, and to use our unique gifts and abilities in God’s service, while making space for others to use theirs. Worship, when entered into mindfully and whole-heartedly, has the ability to transform us, to remind us of who we really are, and to reset our values and commitments. Worship is the one thing we don’t want to give up for Lent! Rather, this season can be the inspiration to take our worship even deeper, and allow it to fill every moment of our lives through the discipline of giving up.
So, whatever you may be giving up this Lent, I pray that it will be a step toward a discipline of giving up that lasts all year - and that you will allow your worship to lead you and sustain you in this practice. After all, it could very well save your life – or at least your sanity!
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.