Center of My Own Universe?

My life is consumed with me. I wake up with me, and go to sleep with me. I spend the days thinking of funny stories to write about me. I want people to love me, and fear when they don’t. I am the center of my universe. There is a part of me that realizes my life isn’t about me, or at least it shouldn’t be.

I know that my life is wrapped in His life. He created me. He gives me life and breath. He is in control of the things that I cannot control, and, despite a life that often lives to the contrary; I know that He is more important than me. I know that my days should be focused on Him, but it is a struggle to let go of me to find Him. 

I believe this obsession with self is a universal problem.

I hypothesize that the Lenten season was created to combat all the “me’s” out there. I realize when I bring up the word Lent some of you flinch in fear. You imagine a season of temporarily giving up some food or drink that you shouldn’t be eating or drinking anyway, only until Easter Sunday rolls around where you promptly begin binge drinking and stuffing your face with chocolate.  I feel ya. When I was 16 I gave up carbonated beverages for lent. That was until some kind fellow adolescent pointed out that beer was also a carbonated beverage. I then, as a 16 year old, gave up, to the glory of the Lord, carbonated non-alcoholic beverages. I completely understand your reservations about Lent and the hypocrisy that seems to surround it.

But in a world filled with “me’s” and consumed with “mines” I am taking Lent back. I need to. It’s not about giving things up; it’s about taking time to intentionally choose Christ over myself.  Just because others (including myself) have abused this season in the past, does not mean it can’t or isn’t beautiful.  The King came and He’s coming. I want to remember what He has done and reflect on what He is doing.  You don’t have to join me in this, but you can. I can’t tell you what to give up or take on, anymore than you can tell me what I should be giving up or taking on, but I do invite you to find a way to intentionally consider the gospel over the remaining weeks leading up to Easter.  “He must become greater. I must become less” (John 3:30).