By Steven Christopher, Lead Pastor, The Gate Church
Friends, it’s time to crack the windows and let the fresh, warm air in. Our fleeting Texas spring has arrived, and many people mark the season with a little spring cleaning.
As you clear lint from the dryer, consider a deeper kind of soul cleaning through observing Lent. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter, reflecting the time Jesus spent fasting in the desert before beginning His earthly ministry. It’s a season of preparation—of making room for what God wants to do next. Many people fast from alcohol, sweets, social media or unnecessary spending—anything that distracts from deeper fellowship with God.
Think of Lent like cleaning out an overstuffed garage. First, take inventory. Is there something you’re overindulging in? Are you holding onto resentment? How might your physical health be impacting everything else in your life? Then empty things out so they can be put back in their proper place. If our hearts and minds are cluttered with endless to-do lists, mindless entertainment or pain-avoiding habits, there’s little room for God’s shaping work. We must be emptied in order to be filled by God’s goodness.
What might emptying look like? Prayer is a start. When John the Baptist’s disciples express concern about Jesus taking over John’s territory, John exclaims, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” (John 3:30) Try a simple breath prayer for two minutes each day: Inhale, “He must increase.” Exhale, “I must decrease.”
Pastor Max Lucado writes, “When you are full of yourself, God cannot fill you. But when you empty yourself, God has a useful vessel!” May you be emptied so God can fill you to be poured out for others.
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