It happens to all of us, and it’s happened to me: I caved in and broke my Lenten promise. Here’s what happened: I have a jar of jellybeans on my dresser– my girlfriend’s little sister gave it to me a while back because of a joke we have about the little candies, and it’s become a staple of my decorative entourage (which, for context, also includes a little Thor and a “World’s Best Brother” puppy plush I got from my little brother at Christmas a few years ago. I’m trying to paint the scene for you here.) Anyway, I was walking by said dresser last night and, without really thinking about it, opened the jar up and grabbed a handful. As I chewed up the candies, I realized what I’d just done. I would love to tell you it ended there.
But alas, I ate more and more of them, and by the end of my spree I had consumed about half of what was in the jar (so much for self-control!) It’s not the first time I’ve caved on my Lenten sacrifice, sadly, but I’m also not letting it beat me, and I think that’s what’s important here– to learn that even though we may give in to temptation from time to time (both in Lent and in our everyday lives), it’s better to take it as a learning experience and move forward than to let our failings get the better of us. To the rest of Lent!
How do you deal with “caving” on your Lenten sacrifice? Have you caved in yet or are you still going strong? Let us know in the comments!
