Three Things To Give Up For Lent

By Vahe Sargsyan

Give up the chocolate, your couch and any remote control you use at home.

Number one – Chocolate. Just to be clear, giving up chocolate means not eating anything that contains chocolate, no chocolate ice cream, no chocolate chip cookies, no milk chocolate, no chocolate cakes, and no hot chocolate. Instead, eat a kale salad or rice cakes. Practice and strengthen your will power.

Number two – Your favorite couch. You know, when you get home, tired and exhausted, and submerge into that fluffy comfortable seat – give that up! Instead, use an old-school, plain, wooden chair. Sit and read a book, watch out the window or meditate sitting on a regular chair and see how long can you hold.

Number three – Remote Controls. The final thing I suggest to get rid of is the remote controls. Remote controls from your TV, Roku, DVR, AC unit, garage and etc. Don’t cheat, don’t ask Alexa or Siri to do stuff for you. Just get up, move, and push some buttons. Exercise, make some effort to impress your muscles and your body.

Do these things for the duration of Lent Season and you will find spiritual growth and nourishment…

But wait, before you leave this page, read what I really suggest you give up for Lent.

If you really think that this is what the lent entails, then you are in for a big surprise. The Lent is not simply an act of eating or not eating certain types of food, but it is so much more.

I challenge you to give up these three things.

Gossip, pride, and anger.

GOSSIP – This is one of the most corrupting habits we possess. It is a fertile soil for other sins like pride and selfishness, and it is in our urgent interest to root out this sin out of our lives. So as St. Chrysostom would say, “Let the mouth too fast from disgraceful speeches and railing. For what does it profit if we abstain from birds and fishes; and yet bite and devour our brethren? The evil speaker eats the flesh of his brother, and bites the body of his neighbor.” Here are a few simple guidelines from the Holy Scripture.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8

PRIDE – It is unfortunate that wherever we turn, pride is taught and celebrated by almost everyone including teachers, parents, Hollywood, culture, etc. Pride is like a cancer of a soul, an illness that will fill your mind with judgment and contempt. It will further you from God’s light and warmness and will leave you in darkness and cold. Here is what the Scripture has to say about pride.

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:5-7

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
Galatians 6:2-3

ANGER – A condition that can lead you to a delusion and spiritual blindness. Strip you off of peace and intimacy with the Lord. It is very easy to get angry, lose control, and ruin relationships not only with friends and family but with God Himself. Read these verses and see what the Bible has to say about it.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32

These verses are very straightforward and might I say, for modern times, politically incorrect. Even though they may seem a bit harsh, this is how you improve and get the real spiritual growth and strength! You consume the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit sculpt your character and image into the likeness of Christ.