Catholic Feminine Genius

Lent Fast Ideas: Top 7 most difficult things to give up

Lent is almost here and it’s time to think about how we can get the most out of this season. Lent is not just about giving something up. It’s about taking away things that hinder us from getting closer to God. Lent is about realizing that we are humans and that God is enough. So in the spirit of Lent, here are the top 7 most difficult things to give up for Lent. This list is based on my personal experience and those of my friends. Maybe you want to try one or two of them? Careful, these are quite difficult. If they don’t seem difficult for you then, you know what you should do for Lent ;)

1. Texting - About 64% of the developed world has access to a cell phone. Most of those people live in America. If you have a cell phone, chances are that you can text. Texting has become one of the most common ways youth and young adults communicate with one another. Don’t think for a second that it hasn’t had an impact on the way we relate to one another. We no longer have good communication skills and social know-how. We’re losing our personal touch. Plus there’s the whole texting and driving thing that is really dangerous. If there’s one thing I suggest people to give up for Lent, it’s this one. Don’t let your life come down to 140 characters. Get off that phone!!

2. Social networking sites (Facebook, Tumblr, Myspace, etc.) - Wait, does anyone still use Myspace? Same idea here as with texting. We are no longer a personal generation. Did you know that today’s teenagers base their social status on how many friends they have on Facebook?

3. Meat - As many of you good Catholics know, we are asked to give up meat eight times during Lent (Ash Wednesday and every Friday until Easter). Try giving up meat for 40 days. Now if you’re vegetarian/vegan, it’s not fair to say that this is easy. Meat is a big staple in the American diet. Want me to prove it? See the Atkins diet. Just kidding. But think about it, we eat way more meat than the average human needs each day. I could go on and on (I have a degree in Nutrition so this topic excites me), but I think you all know how difficult this is. I will say this: If you decide to give up meat for Lent, please make sure you get an adequate source of proteins. Nuts, eggs, fish, and soy/tofu are good sources of proteins. Lent is not meant to make you starve. Give up meat the right way.

4. Secular music - I got this idea from one of my friends. He allowed himself only worship music and Church music. He couldn’t even hum secular music. Why? I actually don’t know why he did this. I do know that it did change his focus for Lent and he felt closer to God afterwards. Music is everywhere around us. Most of us listen to the radio in the car. Our generation doesn’t know what to do with silence. I bet most of you are listening to music right now…

5. Heat - I kid you not, one of my friends did this. No heater for his room. No car heater. I think he has no warm shower as well, but I could be wrong. The worst part was that it was the Lent where we had the coldest winter. Brave man. I believe this stemmed out of being comfortable. We live in comfort. If you’re reading this from a laptop or smart phone, you must live in comfort. I’m not talking about the millionaires with big houses and nice cars. I’m talking about having basic needs met like food, clothing, roof over your head, and heat. It’s hard for us to imagine.

6. Your significant other - I’ve seen quite a few of my friends do this. They give up their boyfriend/girlfriend for Lent. The couple doesn’t talk, text, email, etc. This is difficult because we’ve forgotten how to date. Every day it’s about that other person. Can’t do anything without that other person. Can’t go to sleep at night without that other person. Now I admit, I have my own dependency issues to work out but it’s not just about being independent. In dating, it should be about growing independently towards God with each other. Then when the two become one in marriage the equation is not 1/2 + 1/2 = 1 but 1 + 1 = 1. That may need a little more explaining. Ask me if that still doesn’t make sense.

7. A dream - When your grow up (and all of us still need to do a little growing up), what do you want to be? What do you want to do? What is your heart’s desire? Now take that dream and throw it away for Lent. No more! Gone! Why? Because we are asking the wrong question. It’s not about what I want to do with my life, it’s about what God wants to do with my life. This is very difficult for many of us, myself very much included, to do. It’s hard to give up on a dream job that I’ve worked for my whole life and let God guide me to a completely different path. But as many of my seminarian brothers will tell you: this is difficult but not impossible.

Have more ideas about what is difficult to give up? Message me and tell me why! Coming up later…Top 10 best ideas for Lent.