Pray for someone else's child, your pastor, the military, the police officers, the firemen, the teachers, the government. There's no end to the ways that you can intervene on behalf of others through prayer.
There's no way to get around the fact that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, and He is so good that He exchanged His place in Heaven to come suffer on a cross for humanity and rose to set us free from eternal life in Hell.
When you get a hankering to talk or complain about what you gave up for Lent, replace that hankering by speaking the word of God. For all the times you would have done the activity that you gave up for Lent, replace it by reading the word of God. Christians should always be drawing closer to God.
Give up pride for good during the holidays. This is where I've been especially stubborn. As I walk more and more in this path of Christianity, I see that letting my guard down and admitting that I don't want to be alone is far better than dealing with me, myself and I, who always seem to want to keep up appearances.
We have all been guilty of complaining, but God does not look at it as lightly as we may think. Complaining was the reason the Jews ended up wandering in the desert for forty years. If we were more grateful for what God has done for us, abasing ourselves would not be a problem.
It is obvious that God is looking at the heart when sacrifices are given to Him. He takes no delight in those who give up things for Lent and then act like it's such a struggle to perform what they said they wanted to do for Him.
Regret is not a proactive feeling. It is situated in disappointment, sorrow, even remorse. It merely wishes things were different without an act to cause a difference. However, repentance is different. Repentance is an admission of, hatred of, and turning away from sin before God.
We live unto Him, so committing our service to the Lord is the first and foremost priority of our lives. We can start with our reasonable service: prayer, studying, fasting, tithing, fellowshipping, and witnessing.
As you submit to God more and more, you will get accustomed to being nourished by the power of truth. He is so holy that He cannot lie. God reveals His truth to His people through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus sowed good seeds into the lives of the people He touched. His walk was humble, meek, giving, and forgiving, and He taught His disciples to be the same way.
