How goes YOUR Lent?

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Hello. Thank you for starting this thread.

I gave up watching Netflix for Lent, and today I didn’t know what to do with myself so I OD’d on the internet. Sigh…I’ve been feeling lower than usual, and today, the only reason to feel bad was that my 98% average went down to a 96% average in one of my classes. I was dejected all day. I think irrationally and am frequently not even aware of it. Double sigh… I lost a half a point in my other class too because I just forgot to post a couple of sentences in my discussion group Sunday. Geez. 1.5 points is not a reason to be dejected all day. I could have ridden my bicycle today but was too scared, again, for no good reason. Not being able to numb myself with junk from Netflix brings all this to the surface. Lent is a strange season in some ways.
 
I’m actually struggling with fasting right now. I wanted to make an effort to fast every weekday, but it’s very hard to work through my day with little to no food (I have non-diabetic hypoglycemia). It’s also been hard to resist the temptation of sweets (as you can tell, I’m a food lover).
 
@giuseppe96 Maybe you can LIMIT your desert/sweets consumption to
two or three a day, that should alleviate your hypoglycemia.
Just a thot.
 
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You may fall seven times as the Proverbs 24:16
says but rise seven times! Get up, dust yourself off
and continue on your Lenten Journey, I’ll pray
for you, crenfro!!
 
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giuseppe96 said:
I wanted to make an effort to fast every weekday, but it’s very hard to work through my day with little to no food (I have non-diabetic hypoglycemia).
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I have non-diabetic hypoglycemia in my family. I would strongly suggest that you talk to your doctor before you do something like try to fast every single weekday. Such a plan can be a disaster for a hypoglycemic. You would be better off obtaining from your doctor a sensible diet plan that eliminates sweets and following that, or maybe doing a more extreme fast a couple days a week if and only if your doctor approves.

Posts like this are why I often object to all the “fasting is such a great thing to do” threads that crop up on this forum.
 
Fasting is such a great thing to do, but that doesn’t mean someone should throw caution to the wind. God gave us intelligence and expects us to use it. There are absolutely some people who must not fast, period. The Lord will not punish them for not being able to do so.

Two spiritual directors ago, I was advised to take on a rather rigorous fasting regimen involving frequent 24-hour periods without any food or drink besides water. My response: “Let me ask my doctor first.” We delayed the start of the fasting until after I saw my GP and obtained his approval.

Eighteen months later I became ill (unrelated to the fasting). My condition was sufficiently serious to exempt me from the Lenten fasting requirements, so I stopped all fasting immediately and informed my SD of this decision.

I’m now recovered and plan to resume regular fasting, but I won’t do so until I see my doc next week. If he believes I’m well enough to start fasting again, I’ll add that to what’s left of my Lenten prep with the intention of continuing indefinitely. We’ll see!
 
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Can we actually fast by giving up something we like to do but is unhealthy for our relationship with God? Like playing video games or passing judgment on people?
 
For some, yes, it could be more beneficial to fast from other things or behaviors. :+1:t3:
 
@UpUpAndAway True fasting is ALWAYS sacrificial,
it FORCES us to abstain from fleshly desires which
wage war against the soul(1 Pet. 2:11)
That said, there is nothing OUTSIDE a person which
can make him/her unclean, but what comes from the
INSIDE. (Mk. 7:14-23)
I heard recently someone saying that there are demons
in cigarettes and the fire is another demon which ignites
the craving for it. That, I have come to realize is FALSE
teaching. I know of ppl who give up cigarettes for Lent
and pick it up again after 40 days or so. Same w/ liquor,
some can handle it, it depends on the type of person
you are, if you recognize that you have a problem w/
alcohol and can identify yourself as an alcoholic, it is
advisable to GIVE UP drinking. Satan has his methods
of snaring ppl into addictions which will consume them
if they have a WEAKNESS in that area. See John 10:10a
 
I’m trying to do lots of rosaries, its going okay, but I can do more as I have a lot of time on my hands.
 
I say a rosary every day, it causes me to Look Up.
It is a faith builder, I highly recommend it!!
 
The Lord has given me a penance for this Lent-- I broke my ankle just before Ash Wednesday, and must be in a cast for 5 or 6 weeks. So I’ve given up walking much of the time, cleaning house much, driving, and shopping. I must need this, and I get to offer it for reparation and salvation for my relatives.
 
Giving up talking to difficult people has been tough but I’m hanging in there. Actually my mental health is starting to improve.
 
The Lord sometimes uses things like a broken
ankle to teach us something. I sprained my
ankle painfully and the Lord taught me to
SLOW DOWN!!
 
I feel like I’m being put through the grinder this Lent. In a way I’m good with it because it’s easy to see the Lord working in my life right now and it’s consistent with what I believe is to be God’s will in my life right now.

Most of this has to do with work which has become very challenging.

On the high side, we’re currently framing the Apostolic Mandate from Pope Francis installing our new bishop. It’s so cool having something like that in our shop.
 
It’s been very difficult. I struggle with faith and belief and although everyone is being so helpful I still feel lost in all this. I’m hoping I’m under heavy spiritual attack or something because I can’t go on feeling like this much longer.
 
Could you go to a Stations of the Cross? They have that in my parish each Friday during Lent. It really increases faith, I’ve found. Also praying the Rosary helps.
God bless.
 
Just prayed a rosary I will be seeking out Eucharistic adoration.
 
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