The Importance of Giving Something Up

It has often been said that Humanity has two natures, the willful and the animal, and that these two natures are in constant contest with each other. While we wish that our willful nature would win out all the time the truth is it doesn't. The good news is that our willful nature is like a muscle that can be strengthen and can be made more powerful; its greatest ally is the ability to train our animal nature. 


A large part of being an adult and a good Christian is making the right choices and accepting the responsibilities for our actions but, as in all things worthwhile, the task is far from easy.
During the season of Lent we wonder what is the purpose and the importance of fasting and abstaining. By avoiding small indulgences and peccadillos we train ourselves to discover our control of our animal nature and our natural tendencies to selfishness and harmful behavior. We must always be pushing the boundaries of what we are capable of to achieve the effect of growth; we must exercise our power over temptation. When we do we often feel the same sensations we feel with excerising: reluctance, tiredness and a satisfying soreness/discomfort. 

It is the overcoming of smaller temptations, the sense of achievement however small, that gives us the strength to confront and defeat larger temptations. Abstinence (giving something up) becomes one of the tools we need to subvert our animal nature and to come closer to the willful person that we wish to be and this is the path to happiness. I believe the happiness is reason enough.