I can admit it, I am lazy about looking for God. What's worse is, he isn't very hard to find in the first place. I try to use Lent as an opportunity to reflect and thank God for his faithfulness to me, despite my shortcomings.
About a year ago, my dad had a week-long hospital stay. In that week we learned that dad has end-stage renal (kidney) disease (ESRD). His life and our lives were changed forever. Since then, Dad has been going to dialysis three times as week, and will continue to do so until a kidney transplant match is available.
During Dad's five night stay, I found myself closest to God because I was no longer a passive passenger in my faith. I needed what we all need in times of turmoil—to find solace in the wake of fear and worry. God appeared to us each day, any time a church family member would reach out to us with a call, text, or hospital visits to see what we needed, while we processed the new reality that Dad's life would take on as a possible transplant patient.
I find God more easily now because I have experienced His love in the care our friends and church family provide when they ask about my parents. And I relish noticing the small steps we each take every day to take care of each other.
I pray that we can observe Lent as a chance to be thankful for God's great faithfulness and dedication to each of us- as we each strive to be equally as faithful to Him.
