Thursday, February 26, 2009

Experiencing An Economic Lent

Yesterday was the beginning of Lent in the Christian Church. I got to thinking, what is Lent really all about and is there a relationship to what we are experiencing in our nation and our daily lives? Lent is really a symbolic period of time memorializing Christ's 40 days spent in the wilderness prior to the beginning of his ministry. It culminates with the most tragic of days, Good Friday, as well as the most triumphant, Easter Sunday. It is a period of reflection, repentance, prayer, and self-denial.



So, what is the connection with our current economic realities? It seems to me that the recession we're experiencing is our collective 40 days in the desert. It is a time when all of us are experiencing hardship, doubt, self-denial, worry, and stress. Hopefully, we also see it as an opportunity to take stock of our individual situations (reflection), draw strength from the Universe (prayer), avoid quick and easy, but possibly harmful fixes (temptation), and commit to changing our lives for the better going forward (repentance).



40 days is a finite period of time. While we don't know how long the recession will last, experience tells us that it will eventually end. It won't last forever. Yes, it will be uncomfortable, even tragically so for some, but it will end. This too shall pass. I intend to spend this time wisely and courageously by reflecting, drawing on all the strengths that I possess, purposefully looking for and pursuing the opportunities, and perservering by persistently and continously doing all the little right things that I know will eventually bring me the results that I want. The choice is mine, and yours, to make.