Resolve to Stick to your Lenten Resolutions

Image credit: Pixabay.com (2018), CC0/PD[/caption] Lent is winding down. This is the time that can be difficult to keep our resolutions because the temptation to cheat becomes greater. It feels like forever since we’ve had a piece of chocolate or glass of wine. It’s getting more difficult to bite our tongue and not gossip or retort back to our spouses. Lent can be such a wonderfully challenging time for Christians to be open to changing themselves to become more like Christ. It’s a great time to repent, be remade and be transformed by God's grace to grow closer to Him and those around us. It is only through God's grace that we can accomplish any of our resolutions. The prize at the end of the trial isn't a trophy or a basket full of candy. It is the joy and satisfaction of having accomplished a minor sacrifice in order to grow in Christian love. Jesus gave wholly of Himself for our sakes, and we owe it to Him to try to offer Him the same.

The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 3:20).

Remembering His sacrifice will help your resolve as Lent comes to an end. Sticking to your original resolutions might be easier if we follow these recommendations:

Say an arrow prayer the next time you are tempted to eat that dessert or skip daily Mass to get over the tough moment – something as simple as “Help Me Jesus” or an Our Father.
Attend the Stations of the Cross at your church – seeing the stages of Jesus’ torture and death can boost your resolve to sacrifice just a little longer in thanksgiving to Him.
Put a reminder of your resolutions on a sticky note somewhere you can see it daily to give you a push and some accountability.
Plan to attend the services during Holy Week – let your priest wash your feet Thursday night to make you humble and stronger to keep your resolutions.
Read the Passion story from any of the Gospels and feel the pain Jesus felt.
Allow yourself to be stripped of your selfish vices like Jesus was stripped of His belongings, His dignity and His life (Matthew 27:27-28).
Pray a little extra, especially when tempted, like Jesus did in the Garden. Add a daily Rosary to your routine.
Add an alert to your phone at a specific time during your day to give yourself a reminder of your resolutions.
Pick a virtue you would like to improve on and focus on that for 1 week.
There is still time to do an extra volunteer service hour in your community.
Forgive/Ask forgiveness from that person you have been meaning to all Lent.
Do one random act of kindness today.
Attend Reconciliation to open your heart a little extra for the coming Holy Season.

Now that we are getting close to the end of Lent, be inspired to stay the path and stay strong in your resolutions. Give more of yourself; praise God more; be willing to be stripped of a vice and grow fuller in a virtue. Hopefully the new routines and actions become permanent even after Easter is over.