March 2026: Lenten Practices
Happy March!
We are full into the season of Lent as we enter March this year. During this time of repentance, I hope you and your families have found time to either add some spiritual practice to your daily schedule (devotions, Bible reading, community service) or remember the sacrifice of Christ in the traditional “giving up of something for Lent.” The secret is, of course, that you can always start today!
One practice I’ve picked up a little more intentionally this year is readding the Bible. In years past, I’ve attempted to read the Bible in a year by reading a different text every day. Unsurprisingly, this proved difficult. Usually by the late Spring I’ve given up. I share this so that others with the same story know that they aren’t the only one.
This year, I started back in November with the hope that a different pattern of the year would help me push through those days. I am currently 8 days behind schedule, but I am persevering through. I’ve found the current plan I’m using on the Bible App called YouVersion is working well. Every day there is a space for reflections on the text, which helps me to process what I’m reading. Some parts of scripture are especially tough to get through (Looking at you Leviticus), but with the help of a little reflection, you can find connections to other parts of the Bible.
Sometimes just reading is a checkbox to get done. I’d encourage you to read through Scripture this Lent, this year, or really every day. I wouldn’t encourage you to do it “like a checklist” though. The Holy Spirit will certainly still work through the Word as you read it this way, I’m not worried about that. Reading Scripture is always about learning more about who God is and what he has done for us.
As the Pastor at Trinity, my desire for you is to read with a mind towards learning and growing in the faith, rather than accomplishing aa difficult task. It is a difficult task to read through all of Scripture in a year, and it is worthy of commendation, but that is not the best gift it has to offer. The gift that Scripture has to offer is life and salvation that comes to us through the Gospel of Christ.
The same is true, notably, for Lent. We don’t take something away or add something for the purpose of doing a difficult task. There are plenty of difficulties in life already. We do it as a reminder of Christ’s work for us through a change in our “regular” habits. I pray that this March and the soon approaching Holy Week will be a blessing for you and yours this year!