Do You Need to Build a Cross or Carry an Existing Cross, this Lent?

Some Lents we need to build a cross for ourselves. Perhaps we can give up something, do an act of service, do something penitential, give more to charity, and/or make room for more prayer. 

Other Lents, we need to carry our existing crosses better than we are. The cross is already standing. We’re just falling along the way carrying it. For example, maybe we need to grow in acceptance of a particular suffering, trust in a dry and desert time, or carry our cross a little more joyfully and positively versus sadly or angrily. 

Which Lent will this be for you?

Over the years, I’ve had a blend of both kinds of Lent. Some Lents, God chose my cross and I had to see it for myself and grow in carrying it during Lent. Sometimes it was an illness, injury, difficult life or work situation/transition, or something awful happened to me. 

Other Lents, the cross wasn’t given to me. I had to build a cross to enter into this sacrificial time such as a rigorous fast or prayer practice. 

Both Lents blessed me in different ways and I am confident we’re called to both of these types of Lents at different times of our lives.

A few weeks back I had chosen a Lenten practice, thinking I would create a cross this time around. But God enlightened me this past week and revealed that I wasn’t carrying an existing cross very well right now and it was the “root cross” (root cause) of some things I’ve been struggling with. 

Perhaps the same is true of you. If you’re struggling to forgive, change a bad habit, overcome an addiction, be less angry, despair less, worry less, live more charitably, be less greedy or jealous, or whatever it is you’re facing, is there a “root cross” lingering that you need to carry better with more ease? 

This Lent, is God calling you to build a cross or carry an existing cross a bit better? Go ahead and ask Him today, and may your Lent be exactly what you need this year to grow in your faith and relationship with God.