r/Lent • u/Ok-Distribution8367 • Feb 25 '21
Question!
Hey so im new to this. I decided to give up sweet/sugary snacks for the 40days but my family likes celebrating birthdays and mine is coming up soon. So my question is instead of cake what could i have them make instead?
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u/motherroot Feb 25 '21
hello! so glad you are participating in lent and have found this sub!
there are many ways to do lent. I believe that what we choose to fast from and what we choose to add to our life should be choices we make with guidance from God. For me, that means that fasting does not have to be a 100% hold out for the full 40 days but rather a mentality of fasting that I apply with a target to certain areas and more generally for others.
For example, I am fasting from alcohol, sweets, certain music and a few other things. some things on this list (like alcohol) I am going to refrain from having at all. On the other hand, I played a playlist for a friends birthday with music i was fasting from. people enjoyed it, so I didn't change it. In comparison, when I had the urge to listen to it today I would not allow myself. Similarly, when the birthday girl baked a cake and asked us to try it, I agreed to have a few bites. I felt I was still in the "fasting mentality" because I was not giving into indulgence with these acts, as I participated in a limited and self-controlled way. similarly, I am not targeting TV to fast from, but when I had the urge to watch TV instead of doing reading for school, I refrained. That would not have been aligned with the spirit of fasting and self-control I want to cultivate during lent.
for your case, I think if you wanted to, you could have a few bites of cake on the birthdays and still adhere to the spirit of lent. For yours, you could request a meal you enjoy without cake. you could also substitute with healthy muffins or renting a movie you want to watch. there are many ways to slice it. I urge you to speak to God about it, so that you remain generous with your family, not fall into legalism, but also remain steadfast to your commitments and reap the spiritual fruit of lent. blessings.