Wondering what to give up for Lent in 2019? Don’t just settle for the usual chocolate or coffee. Here are 50 NEW ideas of things to give up for Lent this year.
Are you giving something up for Lent this year?
Have you started thinking of any good things to give up for Lent?
This year, Lent begins on March 6, 2019. And while the practice of giving something up during Lent is not required* by any form of Christianity, voluntarily choosing 1-2 things to give up for Lent can be a great spiritual discipline to help you grow in faith.
I’ve only recently started giving up something for Lent in the last few years, but I’m definitely loving the practice and would highly recommend!
*Note for Catholics only: U.S. Catholics ARE required to give up eating meat on certain days throughout Lent. My post, What Can I Eat During Lent? (Complete Lent Fasting Rules Made Easy), explains allll those Catholic Lent fasting rules in a way that’s really easy to follow and understand. So definitely check that one out too!
Do Protestants Observe Lent? Or Just Catholics?
While Lent is most typically associated with the Catholic Church, Roman Catholics certainly aren’t the only ones to participate in Lent. (This is one of many common myths about Lent.) Lent is also commonly observed by Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans and those in the Eastern Orthodox church.
Baptists, Evangelicals, Pentecostalists typically don’t participate in Lent (at least not on a church-wide level), but there’s no reason any individual Christian can’t.
In fact, according to this article by Christianity Today, 20% of Protestants as a whole and 28% of Evangelicals DO observe Lent in some capacity, even if their home churches don’t.
(Compare that to 61% of Catholics, the group most likely to participate in giving something up for Lent).
Want to know what they’re giving up for Lent? This Twitter Lent Tracker keeps tabs on what Twitter users say they are giving up for Lent each year. It’s kind of interesting to see how thing things people have chosen to give up for Lent have chosen over time!
Yet while the exact methods in which Lent is observed may vary over the years and across denominations, the practice of Lent is nothing new. Lent has been around since as early as the second century AD when the early church fathers themselves took part in it, and millions of Christians still observe it today.
After all – you make Christian New Year’s Resolutions in January… and by March, most of us are ready for another reset. Why not use giving something up for Lent as a great way to get back on track? It’s a great way to prepare your heart and prepare your children’s hearts for Easter!
How to Choose What to Give Up For Lent (Free Lent Worksheets!)
Okay, so you’ve decided you want to figure out what to give up for Lent, but what 1-2 ideas should you choose?
Many people simply choose a popular, easy idea like giving up chocolate, coffee, or social media during the 40 days of Lent.
But what if, instead of just picking any old thing, you picked the ONE thing that’s going to make the most difference for YOU personally?
Below, I’m sharing 50 New! Things to Give Up for Lent. You should find some great ideas there. BEFORE you do, though, I’d really encourage you to download these “What Should I Give Up For Lent” Worksheets.
Not only will they give you a ton of great ideas for things to give up for Lent, but they’ll help you really examine the state of your spiritual life currently, so you can find YOUR biggest spiritual obstacles and identify the solutions that will work best for you!
And best of all — it’s free!
What to Give Up for Lent in 2019: 50 NEW Ideas to Try…
All done going through the free Lent worksheets above? Still wondering “What should I give up for Lent?”
Hey, I understand! It can be hard to find the perfect things to give up for Lent year after year.
Thankfully, this year you’re in luck, because below I’m sharing 50 new ideas for what to give up for Lent (whether you’re Catholic, Protestant or something else altogether). One of them is sure to be the perfect fit for you this year!
- Facebook (it’s a huge time-suck!)
- Worry
- Television (spend the time reading your Bible instead)
- Starbucks (donate the money instead)
- Make-up
- Gossiping
- Complaining
- Going Out to Eat
- Clothes You Don’t Wear Often (donate them)
- Weighing Yourself (Examine your spiritual state instead)
- Listening to questionable music
- Yelling
- Comparing Yourself to Others
- Inappropriate Jokes
- Nagging
- Reading the News
- Unforgiveness
- Shopping
- Wine/Alcohol
- Coffee
- Being Late
- Fast Food and/or Frozen Meals
- Mirrors
- Sleeping in/Staying up Late
- Hot Showers
- Video Games/Games on Your Phone
- Snacking
- Biting Your Nails
- Chocolate
- Your Saturday Afternoons (spend them volunteering)
- Your Pillow and/or Bed
- Sweat Pants/Yoga Pants
- Driving Over the Speed Limit
- Checking Your Bank Account
- A Time-Consuming Activity
- Reading Books Other than the Bible
- Falling Asleep at Church
- Forty Dollars (donate it to the charity of your choice)
- Your Smart Phone
- Lying
- Criticizing Yourself and/or Others
- Laziness
- Skipping Church
- Having Your Own Way
- Talking About Yourself (unless someone asks you a direct question)
- Driving (except when absolutely necessary)
- Dressing Provocatively
- Sarcasm
Still need ideas? Here are 10 Out of the Box Things to Give up for Lent from Your Modern Family and 10 Things You Can Do (or Give Up) for Lent As a Family from A Mother Far From Home. Maybe one of these will spark some more ideas for what to give up for Lent!
And don’t forget to check out my other Lent resources as well:
Are you giving something up for Lent in 2019? What are you going to give up?
Brittany
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I think I’ll go get a TracFone and get rid of my smartphone. We don’t have wi-fi so I won’t have any access to the Internet which sucks the life out of me.
Bold move! I actually just switched from TracFone to a smartphone. They work well if you just want the basics.
I instead of a 21 day financial fast am doing this through lent. My faith does not follow Lent observance yet every year i do something. Financial fast is no buying things that are not necessary. J do get a treat on Sunday the day of celebration. No sodas crafts etc.
Sounds like a good idea to me!
I think it is so nice you offered a post on lent this year. Lent can be an opportunity for all people to grow closer to The Lord through self denial and prayer. I realize the season of lent has passed, but I thought I would clarify a bit about the Catholic practices you mentioned. For Catholics, lent is much more than giving up meat on certain days (this is primarily Fridays, but also on Ash Wednesday). Lent also includes prayer, fasting (this can be from anything, not just food), alms giving, penance, attending retreats or additional prayer services, etc. For Catholics, lent is a beautiful time to reorder our lives, turn our hearts back to God, and prepare our hearts to renew our baptismal promises. It is a deeply spiritual time to contemplate the suffering and passion of our Lord. The 40 day period of lent imitates our Lord’s 40 day suffering in the desert when he was tempted by Satan (Matt 4:1-11). I hope more people learn the meaning of the season of lent and realize they are invited to enter into this sacred time. All people (not just Catholics) can attend the Catholic services (with the exception of Holy Communion), take part in the practices, and grow closer to The Lord. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. More can be learned here: http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/faq.php Blessings to you and your family!
Yep! I thought I touched on all of those things in the post, but maybe I missed one… Thanks for the additional resource!