The Long Term Value in Developing Spiritual Rhythms

Because film and television often portray good-looking people living romanticized lives, it is easy for us to create unrealistic expectations, even standards of near perfection, for ourselves and for others. The season of Lent gives us a chance to expose and reexamine these standards. After all, Jesus, as the Son of God, also dealt with expectations - including a challenge by the devil to demonstrate his very identity after having fasted in the wilderness. We can take inspiration from Jesus's response and develop similar spiritual rhythms. Whenever we struggle with expectations and feel that we cannot live up to them, we can, just like Jesus, recall that we all are first and foremost beloved by the Father.