Our Lenten Journey 2023

This is a season of reflection; a time of repentance, preparation, prayer and fasting. An opportunity to focus our sights on true discipleship and becoming who God created us to be in the midst of being our most real and authentic selves.

As you begin this journey of prayer and seeking a deeper relationship with God, you may be uncertain as to where you to begin. Praying this prayer wherever you are in this journey of faith is never a bad place to start.

Lord,

Here and now, I confess my sins and failures to You and I am heartfully sorry for having sinned against You.

Grant me the strength to seek and accept Your forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, on the cross on Calvary, You poured Yourself  out completely for me and I claim that wonderful and indescribable gift of salvation.

Lord, create a clean heart in me.

Transform me and renew me in every way; mind, body and spirit.

Be the Lord of my life and guide me in Your ways everlasting.

I consecrate myself to You Lord and ask that You use me according to Your Holy Will.

I pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen

There are times in our lives when we feel  that we may have lost our way and are in need of direction. It may seem like we come to this realization when we have come to the end of our “rope” and situations look bleak. Many of us are not good at asking for directions let alone help because we try very hard to be self reliant.

Like lost travelers, we often find ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, not sure of where we are to go and what were to do.

The feeling of being overwhelmed by our circumstances creeps in and we begin to shut down and disengage. Closed off to friends or family we feel like the hopelssness of the "blind leading the blind into the pit" washes over us.

Eventually we wear down and become tired and eventually come to a point where it's easier to give up or give-in rather than press on.

It's not only the act of disengaging from people and circumstances that we feel we need to do, we may even try to distance ourselves from God (as if this is even possible!)

Loss, hopelessness and despair can quickly cause our faith to waiver and cause us to lose sight of the direction that we are to go. Feelings of hopelessness and doubt seem to creep in.

Ponder this for a moment, doubt is not the opposite of faith, but a necessary component of it. After all, every miracle in the Bible started out as a really long term affliction.

As you pray today, don't forget to breathe. Ask God to direct your steps and to give you insight and vision in what you are to do and where you are to go. When given the opportunity in your life, God will always refresh you direct your success.

Read:  Nehemiah 1: 11; Luke 6:39-40