Lent Has Become a Spiritual Hustle and This Christian Writer Wants You to Stop
Lent has become another self improvement project with a spiritual label. One writer argues the season should be about rest and grace, not religious hustle.
Has Lent Become Just Another Self Improvement Project? One Writer Says It's Time to Rest
As millions of Christians around the world mark Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent in 2026, one writer is challenging believers to rethink the entire season.
Ayoola Bandele, writing for Christian Today on February 18, 2026, argues that Lent has drifted far from its original purpose. Instead of a season of spiritual renewal, it has become, in her words, "another self improvement project with a spiritual label."
The article points to the common pledges that surface every year: giving up Instagram, cutting sugar, or committing to ambitious reading plans. Bandele questions whether these practices are truly drawing believers closer to God or simply adding more pressure to already exhausted lives.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Bandele frames Lent not as a season of religious hustle, but as what she calls "a holy exhale." She writes that for Christians who arrive at Lent already depleted, the season should be an invitation to breathe again rather than perform.
Her article offers three practical approaches for weary believers. First, choose one small return rather than overhauling everything. Five minutes of quiet prayer or one psalm read slowly matters more than unsustainable commitments. Second, fast from pressure itself alongside traditional fasting, letting go of harsh self talk and the need to appear perpetually composed. Third, use spoken Scripture daily as an anchor, repeating verses like "God is our refuge and strength" from Psalm 46:1.
Bandele concludes by describing Lent as "a homecoming," emphasizing grace over performance and rest over religious exhaustion.
Why Christians Are Rethinking Lent 2026 as Rest Instead of Religious Obligation
The conversation about Lent as rest rather than obligation comes at a time when Ash Wednesday 2026 has once again packed pews across the globe. Churches report strong attendance as the faithful receive ashes and hear the words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Yet Bandele's message resonates with a growing number of Christians who feel that the season has become more about willpower than worship. Her call to simplicity stands in contrast to the elaborate Lenten challenges that flood social media each year.
The Crusader's Opinion
There is something deeply wrong when Lent feels like a fitness challenge with a cross on top. The world already demands everything from us. Every hour, every ounce of energy, every shred of attention. And then the Church calendar rolls around and we treat it like another deadline to meet.
Lent was never meant to be a performance. It was meant to bring us to our knees. Not in exhaustion, but in surrender. If your Lent starts with rest and ends with a deeper love for Christ, you have done more than every influencer posting their "40 day transformation." Come home. That is enough.
Take Action
- Set aside five minutes each morning this Lent for quiet prayer before reaching for your phone. Start with Psalm 46.
- Share Bandele's article with a fellow believer who may be feeling spiritually exhausted: Read the full piece at Christian Today
- Join a local Lenten prayer group or Bible study at your church. If your church does not have one, ask your pastor about starting a simple weekly gathering.
- Support Christians in need this season through The Shepherd's Shield, which provides aid and advocacy for persecuted believers worldwide.
- Fast from social media for one day this week and spend that time in Scripture and prayer instead.
