Lent is such a holy and sacred season, a time of reflection, repentance, and renewal. It is a season that calls us to draw nearer to Christ, setting aside distractions and making space for God to work in our hearts. While Lent is often observed through communal prayer, fasting, and acts of charity, it is also a deeply personal journey. One of the most meaningful ways to walk through Lent is by committing to a personal study or devotion, a daily rhythm of Scripture, prayer, and reflection.
If you've ever felt like you aren’t as spiritually prepared for Easter as you’d like to be, a Lenten study can serve as an anchor, keeping your heart and mind centered on Christ.
Choosing a Study That Speaks to You
To help you on your journey, I wanted to share some of my favorite personal studies or devotionals for Lent. I have gone through each one and highly recommend them!
Together in one volume, are all of the selections from C. S. Lewis’s works contemplating the "grand miracle" of Jesus’s resurrection. Preparing for Easter is a guide to help you deepen your knowledge and consideration of this holy season—a time of reflection as we consider Jesus’s sacrifice and his joyous rise from the dead.
For every day from Shrove Tuesday to Easter Day, Malcolm Guite chooses a favorite poem from across the Christian spiritual and English literary traditions and offers incisive seasonal reflections on it. This collection helps us to turn aside from everyday routine and experience moments of transfigured vision as we journey through the desert landscape of Lent and find refreshment along the way.
Lent by Esau McCaulley
"A season dedicated to repentance and renewal should not lead us to despair; it should cause us to praise God for his grace."
I love this quote! This book is a beautiful resource for the season of Lent. It moves us beyond looking at Lent as mindless rituals or a time for self-improvement. It not only introduces us to the season of Lent, the prayers, the rituals, and the gravity of sin, but it also points us beyond to God's immeasurable grace and mercy.
Backyard Pilgrim: Forty Days at Godspeed by Matt Canlis
This book is a guided pilgrimage through the season of Lent that follows 2 paths: one biblical and one local. The bible path is already charted – 40 verses from Genesis to John’s Gospel following the story of God’s first question to Adam & Eve, “Where are you?” to Jesus’ answer on our behalf: “Here I am for you, in places you’d never expect.” The parish path is a particular route you choose and then commit to walking 15 minutes a day for forty days.
From Death to Life | 40 Days of Dying to Self and Living for Christ by The Daily Grace Co.
What does it look like to live for Christ? How do we pursue obedience to Jesus while battling our sinful flesh? How do we have hope on this side of eternity as we live with the presence of sin? If these are the questions you have, then From Death to Life: 40 Days of Dying to Self and Living for Christ is the study for you. From Death to Life is a 40-day study that centers on the beauty of the gospel and how Christ’s grace and forgiveness encourage us to die to ourselves and live for Jesus.
Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L'Engle, Augustine, Chesterton
Lent is traditionally observed through daily reading and reflection. I love this collection because it features some of my favorite Christian writers, culled from the wealth of twenty centuries. The selections represent the very best classic and contemporary Christian writers.
Creating a Lenten Devotion Plan
Now that you have some ideas, here’s how to build your Lenten devotion plan:
Pick Your Materials. Whichever you decide to do, gather your resources so they’re ready to go when Lent begins.
Set a Time. Choose a consistent time each day to sit in prayer and study. Mornings are great for setting the tone for the day, while evenings allow time for reflection and examen.
Keep It Simple. Your Lenten practice doesn’t have to be long or complicated. 15-20 minutes a day of focused devotion can make a significant impact on your spiritual life.
Incorporate Silence. Try setting aside a few moments of stillness before and after your devotion. In the quiet, listen for what God may be speaking to your heart.
Embracing the Lenten Journey
Lent is a season of grace, not perfection. If you miss a day or struggle to stay consistent, don’t be discouraged. The goal is not to complete a study for the sake of it but to draw closer to Christ.
May your Lenten study be a time of deep reflection, renewed faith, and a greater awareness of God’s presence in your life.
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