Lent is a time we are called to grow interiorly and reflect on the things or habits that are keeping us from growing closer to God. Fitting with the season of Spring, where there is new life budding from the ground after a long winter, we too are meant to blossom as a new individual when Easter arrives. Just as some plants struggle to bloom, we may find ourselves struggling this Lent to grow in certain areas of our life where we may feel restricted or lost. To recognize what is keeping us from growing, we need to examine within our own hearts and lives the many habits and ways of our ordinary day to day in need of a little extra nourishment.
Growing in virtue requires we seek to form good habits by eliminating the bad ones that keep us from others, particularly from Christ. Virtues are how we become good Christians and allow ourselves to be God’s instruments in his greater plan of life. During Lent we should be striving to let go of the things that make us want to be in control versus trusting that it is God that is in control. Developing new habits, breaking old ones, and changing our perspective on things is not an overnight change. These things take time to develop, but thankfully Lent is 40 days long, which is plenty of time to form new habits. If we find ourselves struggling or think it’s too late in the season to start, fear not. The beautiful thing is we are always called to grow, not just during Lent.
How do we begin growing in virtues during Lent? First we recognize that there are areas we can do better or be better in the way we live our life and how we treat others. We take a look at the areas where we may be struggling to grow, have noticed a change in our attitude or manners, and how we have been treating those around us. We have to take some time to look at what is causing us to feel or act in a negative or selfish way first. Once we identify the areas that need work, we will be able to make resolutions or goals that will help us to grow in those specific areas. A generic example is maybe a certain person has been getting on your nerves lately. You find yourself criticizing or complaining about them to others in your life. Anything they do, even the smallest thing, irritates you. Perhaps during Lent, you could learn to open up your heart to loving this individual despite their flaws. You can set some personal goals for yourself like instead of criticizing their life choices, you are going to praise the good quality they have. Instead of avoiding interacting with them altogether, I am going to spend some time doing something positive with them. The main thing is that you work on opening your heart to loving them despite the flaws they may have and to work on displaying kindness and respect towards them, especially within your own mind.
There are countless ways that we may find we need to focus our attention on in order to grow in virtue. Perhaps it’s patience with others, things not going as planned, or not having instantaneous results. Others may be struggling in humility and need to learn to let go of the pride and ego they carry within. During Lent one of the biggest areas we are called to work on is detachment, and for each one of us, we have different things we need to detach ourselves from. Whether it be technology, foods and drinks, material possessions, specific passions, or even ideologies, learning to detach ourselves from the things of this world that are consuming our peace, and our ability to trust that God is the one in control, is truly one of the best ways to grow in virtue.
It is okay if you have struggled to find those areas in your life that need growth. It isn’t about when you started implementing change, it’s that you did begin. Seeking to grow in virtue this Lent requires a sincere examination into your interior self and asking yourself, “what is truly preventing me from being a better child of God?” Examining our weaknesses and coming up with a few goals to help us obtain those virtues is the simple part. Actually executing and building up those habits is the hard part. Yet, like any new habit we try to start, it is always harder in the first few days. We really have to want to do better despite the fact that at first we may very well fail. The important thing is that we keep getting right back up every time we fall. That persistence and repeat trial and error is what will help us get over that first hurdle. Once you have overcome the first hurdle the next one won’t be as hard to jump, and with each additional one you will find that you are growing stronger in that virtue. Just like any sport we have to train, never giving up just because the results aren’t what we want them to be. If we give up then we will never know how far we could have made it. Growing in virtue is the same. If we give up trying to grow as a child of God, then we will be quitting in obtaining the most beautiful promise we have, eternal life. As we continue our journey through Lent, do not be discouraged simply because you are struggling to see progress in certain areas of your interior life. Continue to try, and most of all to trust that it is God that gives you the strength and grace to grow.
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