By the time this blog is posted, I won’t know about it. (At least in my Newsfeed—but don’t worry, I’m not fasting from the World Wide Web entirely, I’ll still be checking The Daily Conversation!) One of the things I “give up” for Lent every year is Facebook. I’ve heard all kinds of comments—about how weird I am, or couldn’t I just stick with caffeine, or why even bother? I’m not alone in this 40 day abstinence from social media.
In fact, the other day before I logged out for the final time, I saw a friend’s status update that really made me question the whole thing. She said something along the lines of how Americans have reduced Lent to a Facebook hiatus…and how we’re not “tough enough” on ourselves. (Until now, I haven’t broadcasted my Lenten commitment.) Maybe she has a point. But I’m not so sure that Lent is about being tough on oneself?
I didn’t grow up in a liturgical tradition. In fact, my Dad was the only Southern Baptist I knew that participated in Lent. Each year he would give up sweets for the 40 days leading up to Easter. On Good Friday, he would go to Agan’s Bakery and get a dozen hot cross buns and bring them home to share with us. I can still taste the warm, delicious, sugary goodness! My high school journalism teacher, who everyone fondly referred to as “Granny” (because she had taught most of our parents, as well!) gave up cursing for Lent. Her students would hold her accountable to this, and each time she let one slip she’d keep track of the total. On Easter Sunday, her church got one big check for the number of curse words she said during that 40 days.
Each year since I’ve had a Facebook account I’ve logged out temporarily during the season of Lent. (Which by the way has been quite a few years; since I joined when a .edu email address was required. Not that you care, but my pride made me tell you. See, that’s exactly the reason I need to participate in this fast!) Anyway, it’s always a good exercise in self-denial and hopefully humility. It might also do me good to take a step back from the [virtual] comparisons that I engage in on a daily basis. While social networking fulfills a desire to connect and know others, I can get tangled in the traps of coveting my neighbors’ [perceived] life or “things.” Discontentment follows, and this way of thinking steals my joy and threatens the peace that I so desire. I love what Valerie said the other day on this blog, “We cannot always live at the same level and not become dull and dissipated. Lent and its disciplines offer us an opportunity to examine our deepest motivations and fears. Easter invites us to bring them to Christ for a resurrection.”
I look at Lent not as a time of being hard on myself, but a time to re-orient my focus. As the ashes formed the cross on my forehead I was reminded that they are not only a sign of penitence, but a means of healing. For it is not my effort and discipline that brings redemption to the way I’ve been doing life lately, but the death and resurrection of my Savior. If Lent was merely an exercise in self-denial and pure determination for forty days, I would be missing the point. That reeks of performance-based favor—and religion. And I’m not interested in either. Lent can be a healthy season of discipline and healing—as we create space for Christ to do the work of redemption in us. Whether it’s social media, radio in the car, caffeine, or cursing… the discipline of abstaining during Lent helps me appreciate God’s grace even more.
Join the Conversation
Have you ever seen Lent as a season of healing? How does that change your perspective?
Have you participated in a Facebook fast before? What did you discover during that time?
 Joannah Sadler, LMFT, who is our Managing Editor and also looks after our Features section, divides her time between part time work for the journal, teaching, and working at Richmont Graduate University as a therapist. Joannah is married to Jason and lives in Atlanta.
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Joannah,
Your words spoke so clearly to what I have been experiencing these past couple of day. Growing up, I attended a church that promoted the “Lenten”practice of giving up, yet it never really meant much to me, and I found it empty of experience. Today, I belong to a demonination that doesn’t emphasize the Lenten practice. A few year back I attended and graduated from a seminary that openned my eyes to a whole new world of spiritual discipline and personal inner growth. I found myself absorbing every tool I could gather to grow spiritually. Recently, I have found myself discontent, dull and in need of a spark.I was looking for connection and a sense of belonging. I too can relate to the desire to connect with others and was finding great pleasure in connecting on facebook as well as other ways. Yet, I was finding my heart aching for a deeper connection, deeper desire. Yesterday I read, “the aching abyss of the human heart can only be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ (Oswald Chambers). My answer… Spend more time finding Him; Let Him fill that longing I so desired from others. He alone can meet that need. So my Lenten practice this year will be to do just that. I know He placed that desire in me, and your article this morning confirmed to me that I was on the right path.
Thanks so much for sharing !
“If Lent was merely an exercise in self-denial and pure determination for forty days, I would be missing the point. That reeks of performance-based favor—and religion. And I’m not interested in either. Lent can be a healthy season of discipline and healing—as we create space for Christ to do the work of redemption in us.”
Thank you for sharing this, Jo. This is an encouragement to me.
I too am fasting Facebook for Lent. This is the first time I’ve tried it, and my main purpose is to fast this virtual form of relationships and focus on real life relationships and learn to be present in those places.
I appreciate what you had to say about Lent being a time to re-orient the focus of life. That’s kind of what I feel this discipline is doing for me.
Thanks!
Thank you all for your kind words! Robin, I love what Oswald Chambers has to say about our heart only being content in the context of our Creator. Such a good reminder!
How’s it going so far Paul? I’ve already felt my perspective shift a little bit…as I realize how much time I probably wasted on facebook when I wasn’t “connecting” but actually the opposite; becoming disconnected from the present moment.
I hope this season of Lent is especially filled with God’s affirming peace and power for each of you.