Many people adopt spiritual disciplines during the season of Lent instead of, or in addition to, giving up something. Whether you are reading an extra devotion or incorporating prayer into your daily routine, adding spiritual disciplines to your life during Lent can be a great way to grow closer to God and deepen your faith in and dependence on Him.
However, once Lent is over, we often revert to our old habits—or lack thereof. Despite the growth and introspection that we’ve experienced during Lent, we might fall back into our previous “bad habits” of not reading our Bible, not praying, and not spending time in corporate worship.
How can we continue to build spiritual disciplines after Lent is over? What are some practical ways we can grow in faith post-Easter?
Here are some tips that have personally helped me in my faith journey. I hope they are helpful to you as well!
This might seem obvious, but try to maintain the routine you have built during the past forty days. Once Easter arrives, don’t immediately go back to your previous routine. Keep living as if you are still in the season of Lent in terms of your routine—but you can say “alleluia” now!
You might feel relieved once Lent is over—as if there is a sense that you can get back to your “normal” life now. Instead, try to think of this as your new routine! You’ve spent forty days cultivating a new routine, so lean into that.
To encourage you in your new spiritual disciplines, find an accountability partner who can help you maintain these new habits. This could be a friend, someone from your small group, or a spiritual mentor. Either way, this person should be committed to growing in their faith as well, and they should be able to connect with you consistently.
Meet with your partner (virtually or in person) on a schedule that works for you both. This might be weekly, or it could be monthly. Either way, schedule time to communicate with that person about the struggles and joys you’ve encountered. Check in with each other in between meetings via text, sharing any prayer updates as needed.
If you struggle to build habits consistently, you might benefit from using a habit tracker! Habit trackers are simply a way to see how frequently you can accomplish different things you want throughout the day—from drinking water to reading your Bible.
You can find inspiration on Pinterest or check out the app store and recommended habit tracker articles on your phone for digital options.
I want to offer this prayer as you consider how you can continue to build spiritual disciplines post-Lent. I pray your spiritual discipline grows even more fruitful this Easter season!
Lord Jesus, thank You for the penitential season of Lent. Thank You for revealing my sin to me during this time and showing me the depth of Your love and how You won forgiveness for that sin by Your death and resurrection. Give me a desire to continue to know You more throughout my entire life. Show me ways I can engage with Your Word. Prompt me to serve and love my neighbor. Amen.
Want to continue building your spiritual disciplines? Learn about four core spiritual habits with Christina Hergenrader in Inspired by the Holy Spirit.