What Is Lent? 5 Rhythms To Embrace This Season & Beyond

What is Lent? I thought to myself, as my dentist asked me what I was giving up for the observance. Give up?

I shrugged my shoulders as he studiously looked over my molars.

“I’m giving up meat,” he said, to which I replied, “The God I know wants to be happy and not hungry, so I will keep my meat, thank you very much.” Anemic from birth, giving up meat probably meant more to me than it did to him.

That small exchange, however, that happened over 17 years ago, has always left an impression on me. In my youthful ignorance, it never dawned on me to give up anything for God, nor did the church that I grew up in teach us about any such observance.

Yet now, a disciple of Christ, I pause at this time of the year to wonder if there isn’t something to Lent that all denominations can learn to appreciate. Or better yet learn to adapt in practice as we head into Easter. In this piece I hope to do just that. 

What Is Lent?

Lent is a season in the year that invites believers into a focused time of reflection, renewal, and preparation. Traditionally, Lent spans roughly six weeks (around forty days) leading up to Easter Sunday. It begins on Ash Wednesday, (the day when many Christians receive a cross of ash on their forehead) and continues until Holy Saturday, the day before Easter.

The word “Lent” comes from an Old English term lencten, meaning “springtime” or “lengthening of days.” This seasonal tie reminds us that Lent is not only a journey toward Easter but also a time of new beginnings and spiritual growth.

What Does the Bible Say About Lent?

The direct answer is that the term “Lent” isn’t named in Scripture. However, the principles and patterns behind it are deeply biblical.

One of the clearest biblical foundations for Lent is found in the story of Jesus in the wilderness. After His baptism, Jesus spent 40 days fasting and praying in the desert, resisting temptation and drawing closer to God. This time of solitude and discipline (Matthew 4:1–11) serves as the central biblical model for the Lenten journey.

The number 40 also appears frequently in other significant biblical narratives:

• Noah experienced 40 days and nights of rain during the flood.
• Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai before receiving the Ten Commandments.
• The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land.

These periods of testing, preparation, and transformation are woven into the biblical story, and Lent invites Christians to enter into that same rhythm; a time of intentional reflection that readies our hearts for the joy of Easter.

Who Is Lent For?

While Lent is most often associated with Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Eastern Orthodoxs, and some Protestants churches, the spirit behind Lent transcends denominational boundaries.

Within these traditions, many believers observe Lent through:

• Fasting or giving up certain foods or habits
• Increased prayer and Scripture reading
• Acts of generosity and service
• Self-examination and repentance

These practices are meant to mirror Jesus’ own withdrawal into the wilderness and His reliance on God during times of trial.

I think we can all agree that even those of us who don’t formally observe the season can embrace its rhythms in a way that is meaningful and authentic; perhaps at first to prepare us for Easter but hopefully to jump start practices that can develop into habits which bring about spiritual transformation.

What Can Other Denominations Learn From Practicing Lent?

In many liturgical traditions throughout the forty days (excluding Sundays in many traditions), believers commonly commit to three historic Lenten pillars: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (generosity).

In practice, that looks like: 

• Prayer: Churches may hold additional prayer gatherings, midweek services, or guided devotional readings. Individuals often commit to daily Scripture reading or a focused prayer plan centered on Jesus’ journey to the cross.
• Fasting: Many choose to give up certain foods (such as meat on Fridays in Catholic tradition), while others fast from comforts like sweets, entertainment, or social media. The purpose is not deprivation for its own sake, but creating space to depend more intentionally on God.
• Almsgiving: Lent is also marked by acts of charity and service. Churches may emphasize outreach, missions giving, or community care initiatives as a tangible expression of Christ’s love.

 The calendar itself guides the congregation through themes of repentance, surrender, sacrifice, and hope, culminating in the joy of Easter. The beauty of this structure is that it helps believers move beyond emotional spirituality and into intentional formation.

The beauty for those of us outside those denominations is that principles behind Lent are not bound to a calendar, but are timeless spiritual rhythms. The invitation is not necessarily to adopt the full liturgical structure, but to embrace the formative habits that Lent highlights.

Here’s how we can move these principles from a seasonal observance into a sustainable spiritual lifestyle:

1. Establish Rhythms of Intentional Prayer

Instead of limiting focused prayer to a six-week period, consider building daily prayer into your routine year-round. This might look like:

• Setting aside the first 10–15 minutes of your morning for Scripture and prayer.
• Following a Bible reading plan that traces the life of Christ.
• Practicing weekly reflection — asking, “Where is God shaping me right now?”

Lent reminds us that spiritual depth grows through consistency, not intensity alone.

2. Practice Regular Fasting as Spiritual Reset

Fasting does not have to be extreme or rigid. In fact, when practiced with humility and wisdom, it becomes a powerful spiritual reset. Outside of Lent, you might:

• Choose one day a month to fast from a meal and dedicate that time to prayer.
• Periodically fast from digital distractions to refocus your heart.
• Identify habits that dull your spiritual sensitivity and intentionally step back from them.

When fasting becomes a rhythm rather than a one-time event, it gently trains the heart toward dependence on God.

3. Live Generously as a Lifestyle

Lenten almsgiving encourages believers to examine how they steward their time, resources, and compassion. But generosity is meant to extend beyond a season. You can:

• Commit to regular giving to ministries or community needs.
• Schedule monthly acts of service.
• Build margin in your budget and calendar specifically for helping others.

Generosity transforms from a Lenten discipline into a defining characteristic of Christian life.

4. Embrace Reflection and Repentance as Ongoing Growth

One of Lent’s most meaningful aspects is its call to self-examination. Many traditions use prayers of confession or guided reflection. Even outside a formal Lenten season, believers can:

• Practice weekly heart-checks.
• Invite accountability from trusted community.
• Regularly ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas that need healing or growth.

Spiritual maturity flourishes where humility is practiced consistently.

5. Anchor Your Faith in the Story of Christ

During Lent, sermons and readings intentionally focus on Jesus’ journey toward the cross. That narrative grounding shapes how believers see their own struggles and hopes. Even without observing Lent, churches and individuals can intentionally revisit the gospel story throughout the year, not just at Easter.

When we regularly meditate on Christ’s life, suffering, death, and resurrection, our faith stays centered on grace rather than performance.

Where Can Lent Fall Into Legalism?

Speaking of performance, while our hearts may be in the right place in adopting these practices, use discernment so that your newfound disciplines don’t fall into legalism. 

Here’s how that can happen:

⚠️ Checklist Christianity

Turning Lent into a list of dos and don’ts — “I must give this up!” or “I must pray this way!” — risks making the season about performance rather than transformation.

⚠️ Approval-Seeking

When the focus shifts from growing in grace to seeking praise from others, Lent loses its spiritual force. The goal isn’t public approval; it’s genuine closeness to God.

⚠️ Bargaining with God

Lent isn’t a leverage tool to earn blessings or favor from God. God’s love is already secure in Christ; Lent invites us into deeper gratitude for that gift — not bargaining for more.

⚠️ Bare Ritual

Doing the same practices year after year without reflection can make Lent feel like a religious routine rather than a heartfelt journey.

The antidote to legalism is grace,  recognizing that spiritual disciplines are tools to shape our hearts, not obligations to prove worthiness. Lent should draw us closer to God’s love and remind us of His mercy poured out through Jesus.

Conclusion 

I wish I could run into the version of me who was at the dentist office that day. I would sit her down for a long conversation on the meaning of sacrifice, the power of the Word and the intimacy that comes with searching for God above all things. 

That girl lacked discipleship. That girl lacked spiritual discipline but mostly that girl lacked a center to anchor her life on. 

As we head into Easter, may we take the lessons of Lent to drown out the noise of the world, so we place Christ as the center of it all, and when the season passes, to leave Him there, right where He belongs.