Use this list of things you could give up for Lent this year to grow more deeply in your faith.
Are you considering giving up something for Lent this year, but you aren’t sure what would be most helpful to your spiritual growth? During Lent, many people around the world give up eating meat, and while that is a meaningful practice, it’s not the only way to fast during Lent. Use this fasting list to consider other ways to sacrifice as you reflect on what Jesus did for you.
Fasting During Lent
Many people choose to give up something in order to deepen their daily spiritual practice during Lent. Lent, the 40 days before Easter (technically 46 because Sundays are not counted), is a time when Christians focus on Jesus’ death and sacrifice.
Lent is a somber time yet also a time of celebration in the sense that Christians remember and realize the importance of the great gift we have been given.
Things to Fast From Besides Food
Many Christians fast from food, or certain foods (such as red meat, soda or chocolate) during Lent. While fasting from food is a powerful Biblical exercise, it’s not the only way to fast.
Spiritual fasting for breakthrough can happen when fasting from other things besides food, during Lent and throughout the year.
Fasting from food may not be advisable for you due to medical reasons, health history or eating disorders. Fasting for weight loss (often Intermittent Fasting or IF) is not the same as fasting for spiritual growth.
10 Things You Could Give Up for Lent Besides Food
Here are 10 things you could give up for Lent that are not food:
- Social media
- TV or Netflix
- Gossip
- Complaining
- Worry
- Swearing
- Music in the car (use the time for prayer instead)
- Snooze button
- Spending with a credit card
- Bragging
See the list below for more ideas.
Why Do Christians Give Up Something for Lent?
Typically Lent has been a time of fasting and self-denial, especially in Catholic traditions. It is important to note that fasting or other traditions do not earn you extra blessings from God. Romans 5:17 says, “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”
Grace is a free gift through Jesus. You do not earn God’s good favor.
The Bible also says that fasting should be done privately. Matthew 6:16-18 says, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that is between you and God.
50 Things You Could Give Up for Lent This Year
Here are 50 things you could give for lent this year.
- Meat
- Fast food
- TV viewing
- Elevators
- Swearing
- Sugar
- Social Media
- Shopping
- Snooze Button
- Texting
- Coffee
- Caffeine
- Make-Up
- Warm Showers
- Debt
- French Fries
- Cell phone
- Gossip
- Working overtime
- White lies
- Last bite
- Junk food
- Complaining
- Music in the car
- Chocolate
- Snacking
- Being late
- Arguments
- Taking credit
- Hurtful words
- Movies
- Artificial sweeteners
- Bragging
- Going first
- Plastic bags
- Bottled water
- Clutter
- Starbucks
- Cookies
- Candy
- Holding grudges
- Road rage
- Iphone apps
- The last word
- Procrastination
- Alcohol
- Sarcasm
- Smoking
- Soda
Adding Something for Lent Instead of Taking Away
In recent years, I’ve read about families who choose to add something in during Lent, instead of taking something away. Here are some ideas.
10 Things You Can Add In During Lent
- Donate a food items to a food pantry for each day of Lent (40 items).
- Do a random act of kindness each day.
- Complete a Lent Bible reading plan, reading a Bible verse each day.
- Read a Lent devotion each day.
- Post a Bible verse on social media each day for 40 days.
- Post something you are grateful for each day for 40 days.
- Clear out clutter and donate 40 items.
- Spend 15 minutes each day decluttering. Pray and thank God for your blessings of abundance.
- Make a monetary donation to a charity of your choice, perhaps $1 or $5 for each day in Lent.
- Write in a fasting journal to reflect on all you have learned during the season. (Get 20% off this journal with exclusive coupon code HOLYMESS at checkout.)
With these ideas, you’ll be able to make your Lenten season meaningful this year as you reflect on Jesus’ death on the cross for you.
Have you given up something for Lent in the past? Will you give up something for Lent this year? Share about it in the comments below.
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I create a prayer focus chart for myself and my significant other to pray through together. For example, we pray for our coworkers one day. I like the focus and knowing that we are praying together even when we aren’t together.
I love some of your ideas here and am going to incorporate them into this year’s focus.
I love your idea of the prayer focus! Thanks for sharing.
Sara, this list is great! I teach Faith Formation classes and will give this list to my kiddos for consideration. I tell them they don’t have to give up something, but perhaps add something to their life that praises God and thanks Him for His many blessings – perhaps listening to their parents and doing as they ask the first time they’re told. HA I get eye rolls on that one. Again, thanks for this list, it’s perfect!
I’m so glad it’s a help. I’m sure you are a blessing to your students.
Starting with Ash Wed I will attend all Holy Day And weekly Masses through Lent. Stations of the Cross, weekly mass, Good Fri and all 3 days of Easter weekend Masses, including Easter Vigil.
I love the idea of fasting from something besides food and also adding something. For 40 days I am going to try to fast from complaining (and hopefully continue lng after lent) and I’m going to write down something I am grateful for. Thank you Sara. So glad I found this website. You have been helpful on many fronts.
I’m glad it’s helpful. Fasting from complaining is a wonderful – and challenging! – plan.
Wonderful. May God bless you this season.
I have just recently read about you in Women’s World and so grateful that I did. The things in your post really resonate with me. I have recently reconnected with my faith and am doing the Bible In One Year podcast and am really enjoying it. I regret that I waited so long. I love your post re observing Lent. I have dabbled with intermittent fasting and with veganism, both of which I intend to fully commit to during Lent. With you, I don’t feel so alone in this journey, both spiritually and healthfully. God bless you Sara.
I’m so glad you found me Chris. You are absolutely not alone. We are here to support one another every step of the way.
Thank you Sara. I will donate 40 food items that is not my church. The food pantry is located outside for people to help themselves.
That’s wonderful, Debbi!
Hi Sara, I love your post, this year my mom and I decided to give up Meat and Facebook. I hope and I’m sure this will inspire more people to take their spirituality more serious. Serving god is not just prayer, but work as well and we do that work through obedience, ministry, fasting to name a few. Thanks for your encouragement. God Bless!
The verse about doing this for God, and not so other people will see my sacrifice, really hit me. I think I’ve been looking at this all wrong. Thank you for posting!
Thanks for the comment. Keegan. Yes, often we see giving up something for Lent as what other people notice but this is really about your relationship with God and how you can grow closer to Him. Blessings!
I have only recently come back to my Faith. I have always believed, but come back to reading my Bible and talking with God.
I am not a Catholic, but feel as though I need to give something up for Lent. Your list has given me much contemplation.
I’m so excited for you, Sharon, to hear of this renewal of your faith. Thanks for reading. I can’t wait to continue to connect with you.
Sara, I love the variety you listed here … from tangible to intangible!
Thank you, Dianne! I appreciate you stopping by and commenting.
Some awesome things on this list. So many come to mind: sweats, clutter, email. Not sure what I will be doing yet, but you’ve given me some great ideas to consider.