This year we’re collaborating with writers across the Augustine Collective, a network of student-led Christian journals, to bring you a series of short devotional articles during this season of Lent, the 40-day period prior to Easter. Find this series also published by UC Berkeley’s TAUG and Cornell’s Claritas.
God has been there for us since the dawn of human civilization. He is there for us as we rise just as much as when we falter. In our time of need, the people of God have relied heavily on our Father in heaven to deliver us from damnation.
Even today, as we enjoy the comforts of human industrialization and development, the God of the universe remains our fortress. [1] While many of those comforts are blessings, they also come with challenges. In growing comfortable, we grow in pride as we convince ourselves that we can make it all on our own. Our comfort distracts us from the Lord. Too often we forget what the Lord has done for us, what He sacrificed for us, and how much He loves us.
As we begin Lent, fasting serves as a powerful way to remind ourselves of our dependence on God. When we examine what we have turned into idols and strip them away, we realize these things are neither eternal nor lasting. When we fast from the things that we rely on for comfort — things like social media, food, or trivial distractions — we realize how small we are, how weak we are, and come to terms with our brokenness. It is only when we rely on the Lord through our brokenness, that we surrender our weakness and rely on His strength, that we emerge from our trials unscathed.
Like how a man with a broken leg leans on his crutches, we must lean on our heavenly Father. If the man attempts to hobble without his crutches, he may manage for a short while, but eventually he will tire and collapse. When we rely on our flesh instead of on God, we stumble — and the truth is, we stumble on a daily basis. You may say that you are doing fine now without God, but in the long run, the world will drain you. You will grow weary, and you will fall. The world demands us to be strong on our own, but Jesus invites us to come to Him for rest. In Matthew 11:30, Jesus says “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” [2] The world will push us past our limit, but Jesus calls us to find rest in Him as we let Him shepherd our lives.
So if you decide to fast this Lent, allow yourself to lean on the Lord’s strength while you reckon with your weakness. Take something of great value to you and replace it with something that will glorify the Lord. It will not be easy; you will be tempted. As 1 Peter 2:21 says, “to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” [3] And 1 Peter 3:17 reminds us that “it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” [4]
So take heart, my friends. As you fast in remembrance of what the Lord has done for us, rejoice in your suffering, just as He suffered for you.
Mathis Vigneau is a sophomore studying mechanical engineering at Cornell University. A child of GOD.
[1] Psalm 18:2 (ESV)
[2] Matthew 11:30 (ESV)
[3] 1 Peter 2:21 (ESV)
[4] 1 Peter 3:17 (ESV)
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