Do you ever find yourself saying “If only…?” If only I could have a day off…. If only I could go on vacation…. If only I could have a raise…. If only my spouse would pick their socks up off the floor… If only it was my turn…
Everyone has longing in their lives. Longing for more time, better relationships, more money, a bigger house. We have so much and yet there is always something that is just out of our grasp.
Lent is an opportunity for us to reflect on these longings. God promised us an abundant life.
What if this is it? What if this is your abundant life, but you are missing it with these longings? What if you have all you need, right in front of you, and yet your eyes are set on things that will never be? What if God’s version of our abundant life is different than what we want, but is actually what we need?
Over the next 40 days, we have the opportunity to slow down, to surrender a current pleasure, and even fast to more deeply feel and know God’s presence in our lives. As ironic as it seems, it is possible through sacrifice to actually experience our abundant life! In our deficit, our capacity grows! We can fill the longing we have been experiencing by making space for God to show us how to live. This IS living an abundant life.
Robyn Hilger, Director of El Sistema
