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The Lenten season is a time for me to slow down, shut out unnecessary noise, and reflect on how God speaks to me and how I might respond to better align myself with where God is leading me. During this time, I am intentional about getting in a quiet space mentally and spiritually so that I can process the state of my relationship with God and engage in a spiritual purge ridding myself of life’s mental and emotional “junk” that we unintentionally collect while on the journey of life. Ultimately, Lent presents an opportunity to fully declutter my spiritual pathways to receive the power of the resurrected Christ.
The world is riddled with all kinds of chaos, and reflecting on those things during Lent means sitting with what it means for humanity to manifest the hope born out of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who was both fully human and fully divine. For Jesus to suffer on behalf of humanity and overcome death through His resurrection models a kind of hope that I think is sometimes lost in this fragmented world because often, people skip past the sorrow associated with Lent and jump right into celebrating the risen Christ. However, for me, it’s necessary to pause and honor the broken human body that served as a vehicle for the salvation of all of humanity. As such, Lent becomes a time when I resonate with and lament over the brokenness of the world.
As a woman in ministry, countless things are vying for my attention simultaneously, which can drain my spiritual battery, leaving me empty from constantly pouring out of myself to help others. So, while I use Lent as a time of reflection and spiritual decluttering, I also use it as a time of soul care, engaging in healing practices to recharge my battery for this work. Doing so helps set the pace of my life, reinforce healthy boundaries, and spur balance to prevent spiritual burnout and compassion fatigue.
Rev. Angéle Saunders Johnson, M.Div., is the Executive Director of Disciples Women Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In this capacity, her focus is on transforming Disciples Women Ministries into an impactful ministry for the next generation. A graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Divinity with more than 20 years of corporate, faith-based, and community nonprofit experience, Rev. Johnson is ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and has served in several capacities on congregational, regional, and denominational levels.
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