I don't really have much to report on how this particular discipline affected how I view God and life, partly because to go into depth would result in me blogging about blogging, which I find to be silly. But really, I didn't think about it too much (unlike my other addiction that I removed from my life for these LONG 40 days*, coffee). I did have more time for reading and Scripture study (I joined some of our high school students in reading Luke over Lent and journaling each day on how that day's passage related to the nature of God and Jesus' particular concern for the poor). But really, no fireworks, "a-ha" moments, or even any additional sleep. I suppose that's the way it is when it comes to any spiritual discipline we engage in. Every once in a while, I'll feel like God is really changing how I view him and the world, but most of the time, such disciplines don't result in anything spectacular. But that's okay.
A retired missionary in our church once said this about how we don't usually remember sermons we hear: "I've had a lot of meals in my life. For the most part, they were are very nourishing, but I don't remember more than a handful." I think the same thing applies to spiritual disciplines. They aren't nourishing because they are spectacular. They are nourishing because by engaging in them--whether it's a discipline we do over a short period of time (such as Lent), or something we aim to do every day of our lives--we are constantly being fed by God, his Word, and his presence.
If you celebrate Lent, I hope it was a blessed time for you leading up to celebrating resurrection of Jesus. And if you don't typically celebrate lent, I invite you to consider doing so in some way next year.
*Lent is forty days long--Ash Wednesday through the day before Easter, not counting Sundays.
