What Is Your Destination?

26 Feb

“Remember what Bilbo used to say: It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.  You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” ~JRR Tolkien

One does not simply go on vacation.  It is not a matter of waking up some morning, telling people that you are going to leave for vacation, and walking out.

Vacations take planning.  The very first thing that must be decided when planning a vacation is the destination.  Are you going to an historic site?  On a cruise?  To the beach?  The choice of destination will dictate a whole list of things that one must do to prepare for the vacation.

Just as one does not simply leave for vacation, one does not simply “do Lent”.  Ash Wednesday is in three days.  If we are going to enter the Season of Lent properly, we cannot merely begin our Lent on Wednesday.  No.  We must prepare.

The first preparation, just as when planning a vacation, is determining our destination.

On the surface, that statement may sound a bit absurd.  After all, most people would say, “What are you talking about?  Our destination is Easter.”  If you are talking about calendars, that is the correct answer.

However, Lent does not exist to get us ready for a calendar date.  Lent calls us to be at a different place in our faith lives by the time Easter arrives.

What is your desired destination this year?  Do you want to be more patient?  Do you want to have a more deeply established prayer life?  Do you want to forgive someone for a hurt that you have been carrying a long time?  What, exactly, is your destination for Lent this year?  That will determine how you spend each day.

You cannot decide that at the last minute.  It takes time and thought.  Begin today to decide how you want this year’s Lent to conclude.

FAITH ACTION:  Prioritize your spiritual wants and needs to determine where you want to be in your faith life when Easter arrives.