"Listening for God: a playlist for Lent" by Abbey Dupuy (CatholicMom.com) Copyright 2017 Abbey Dupuy. All rights reserved.

Tomorrow Lent begins.

I usually approach this season with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. I love the ritual of Ash Wednesday and the opportunity to make sacrifices or take up spiritual practices during this time. The six weeks between Ash Wednesday and Easter offer us a chance to hold a magnifying glass over our lives, searching for ways to draw closer to God, clarifying areas in which we could stretch or grow in our faith.

Too often, though, I’m over-ambitious and take on too much. I decide that Lent is a good chance to make all the good changes! I should declutter my house and embrace healthy eating and exercise more and read the Bible more and start attending daily Mass with my children and praying the Rosary with them more often, all at once! These are all good things, of course, but trying to do them all at the same time can backfire in discouragement and a temptation to give up before Lent is over.

[tweet "Focus on small ways to draw attention to God during #Lent. @spotify playlist by @dere_abbey"]

This year, instead of trying to change the whole world and remake myself entirely, I’m focusing on small ways to draw my attention to God during this penitential season. One way I am doing this is by changing the music that makes up my daily soundtrack.

Music is powerful. It has a way of embedding itself in our hearts and minds during the day, even if we only listen to it in the background. The words and melodies weave themselves into the fabric of our lives.

When I’m in the middle of a workout and think I can’t go on, if a good song comes on I find a little more energy to pick up the pace. On a grumpy day when everything is going wrong and I’m stuck in traffic and my kids are fighting in the back seat, suddenly hearing a favorite song can transform the moment from frustrated to manageable. Music can pull me back in the right direction, realign my attitude, and bring my focus back to God, which is exactly what I need to do during Lent.

This Lent, I am going to listen to songs that draw my attention back to God’s presence in my life and prompt me to think about my response to that presence. I hope this practice will help me to be more mindful of all the ways God is reaching out for me, wanting to connect with me during the days. God is with us, and He wants us to be with Him. During Lent, we have a special opportunity to remember that He wanted this so much that he sent Jesus to walk with us, to pray with us, to die for us. My prayer is that these songs will help me remember that I can respond by drawing near to Him, even in the middle of my everyday life.

Want to join me? Here's a playlist to get you started.

https://open.spotify.com/user/1233125016/playlist/386WmAi7z9LjzsaiDvt7eO

Listening on a browser? Navigate to this playlist by searching my name, Abbey Davis Dupuy, then click "profile" and finally choosing this playlist.

What would you add? What songs remind you of God’s loving presence and help you remember to turn toward Him? Leave a song in the comments, and we'll add your music to our community playlist.

 

Copyright 2017 Abbey Dupuy