What is Lent? Guide to It's Meaning and Purpose

Many Christians have heard of Lent, but do all know what it means? Is it really just a time of giving up chocolate or social media?

As many Christians mark the beginning of Lent this year on Wednesday, March 5th, known as Ash Wednesday, it's important to know the real purpose and meaning to the 40 days of Lent.

What is Lent?

Lent is the 40-day period leading up to Easter, (excluding Sundays) that starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter.

The 40 days of Lent involve fasting, prayer, and almsgiving as a way to connect deeper with God. Commonly observed by Roman Catholic, Eastern, and some Protestant churches, many use the 40 days of Lent as a time of personal reflection to prepare your heart and mind for Good Friday and Easter.

The origin of the word Lent comes from the “Old English lencten springtime, spring” and “from West Germanic langitinaz long-days or lengthening of the day.”

What is Ash Wednesday?

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent. Traditionally, it's a time for confession, repentance, and feasting before the fasting season. The name "Shrove" comes from the Old English word shriven, meaning to confess sins and receive absolution.

Lent starts with Ash Wednesday, the day when you might see people with a cross of ashes on their foreheads. These ashes are a reminder of our need for repentance and the reality of our human frailty. The ash marks symbolize sorrow and mourning over sin. The Biblical support for this observation comes from the following verses:

Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3).

There was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes (Esther 4:3).

What are Other Key Dates of Lent?

Palm Sunday is the last Sunday of Lent and begins the time of Lent known as the Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter and the final days of Jesus' life. Palm Sunday marks Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, when people welcomed Him with palm branches, recognizing Him as their King.

Maundy Thursday of Holy Week remembers the Last Supper, when Jesus shared a final meal with His disciples and demonstrated humility by washing their feet.

Good Friday is a solemn day that commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion and His ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Despite its sorrowful events, it’s called “Good” because of the redemption Jesus secured for us.

Holy Saturday is a day of quiet reflection, as we remember Jesus’ time in the tomb and anticipate the joy of what’s to come. Finally, Easter Sunday bursts forth with celebration—Jesus is alive! His resurrection offers us hope, new life, and the promise of eternity with Him.

When Does Lent Start in 2025?

Lent begins each year on Ash Wednesday and is 46 days before Easter Sunday. This year, Lent will begin on Wednesday, March 5th, 2025, and you are following the 40-day tradition, Lent will end on Holy Saturday, April 19th, 2025.

Read more about the Lent timeframe: When does Lent Start and End?

Why is Lent 40 days?

The 40-day period of Lent is symbolic of significant biblical events, including:

Jesus' 40 days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11).
Moses spending 40 days on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28).
Elijah's 40-day journey to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).
The 40 days of rain during the Great Flood (Genesis 7:12).
The Israelites' 40 years of wandering in the desert (Numbers 14:33).

The Deeper Purpose and Meaning Behind Lent

There are numerous ways to approach Lent, some more legalistic than personal spiritual growth. Still, the origins of Lent seem to be rooted in Christians giving up food or money in order to emulate Christ’s obedience to the Father.

During Lent, Christians honor the 40 days and nights following Christ’s baptism when He went into the wilderness without water and food and was tempted by Satan. During that time, Christ did what we do today when we fast: wrestle with temptation. This was not the first fast; biblical figures often fasted when petitioning God for something important. “So we fasted and implored our God [...], and he listened to our entreaty” (Ezra 8:23). The Israelites “mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword” (2 Samuel 1:12).

The three main ways people engage in Lent are through fasting (abstaining from something to focus on God), prayer, and almsgiving (giving to charity).

Fasting during Lent typically involves abstaining from certain foods or luxuries as a form of self-discipline and solidarity with the sufferings of Christ. Today, some still observe fasts that restrict quantity and type of food, but many view Lent as a time in which to give up a particular vice, bad habit, or pleasurable thing. While Protestants also take part, Catholic churches are particularly associated with Lenten fasting with some people who abstain from all animal products while others, fish and/or poultry were allowed.

It's important to remember the primary purpose of Lent is meant to be a time of repentance. That’s not a feeling of shame but an awareness that sin separates us from God and what Christ endured to save us from sin, death, and the devil. “Shame has its place, but feeling shame over sin is not the same thing as repentance from sin” because “our tempter can take our obedience to God and turn it into a source of pride.” Lent should always lead us toward gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter.

Download your FREE copy of our 40-Day Lent and Easter Devotional - filled with daily Scriptures, reflections, and prayers for the Lent season.

Simple Ways to Observe Lent

Here are a few steps for practicing Lent in your own home and faith:

1. Name the pressing sin. Christians are taught to begin the 40-day period by confessing sins they would like Christ to remove; to “really examine areas of recurring sin” which are a hurdle to “being conformed to God's will.”

2. Partner with other Christians. Historically, entire church congregations would support one another during Lent. Although Christ instructed “when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret,” (Matthew 6:3-4), believers keep each other accountable. “Self-disclosure brings forth humility by making it your responsibility to humbly open your soul to those to whom you are accountable. [...] You are a witness to your own life, sharing truthfully, freely, and happily with little or no provocation.” Devoted friends encourage each other to be specific in their prayers and help one another seek Christ’s strength to stay the course.

3. Your “fast” should feel like a sacrifice, not religious duty. Nor should the fast be dangerous to one’s health. Consider giving up one meal a day, a regular treat, coffee, or alcohol. Other sacrifices include increased charitable giving, staying away from social media, service to the community, or memorizing scripture.

4. Time with God is critical. Quiet and solitude enable one to listen to the Spirit and discern answers to prayer. Before the noisy corporate rejoicing of Easter Sunday, create opportunities for peaceful contemplation and intimacy with the Father. No matter how prayers are answered at the end of 40 days-no, yes, or wait-time with the Lord is cause for joy, praise, and thanks.

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Protestant Observation of Lent

Lent is observed differently among Protestant denominations, with some, like Lutherans, Anglicans, and Methodists, following structured traditions, while others, such as Evangelicals, Baptists, and non-denominational groups, may not formally observe it at all. For those who do participate, Lent is typically a time of personal reflection, prayer, and spiritual renewal rather than strict fasting or obligatory practices.

While some Protestants observe Ash Wednesday and engage in acts of self-denial—such as giving up certain foods or habits—fasting is generally optional and varies by individual or church tradition. Holy Week is recognized by many Protestant groups, but observances tend to be simpler than in Catholicism, with Good Friday often marked by scripture readings or a sermon rather than liturgical rituals. Easter Sunday remains the central focus, celebrating the Resurrection with worship and joy, often without an extended liturgical framework.

Catholic Observation of Lent

In Catholicism, Lent is a deeply structured and sacramental season emphasizing penance, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. It begins on Ash Wednesday, where believers receive ashes as a sign of repentance, and includes strict fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, along with abstinence from meat on all Fridays of Lent. Confession and acts of charity are strongly encouraged as part of spiritual discipline.

Holy Week is a solemn time, with Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil playing significant roles in preparing for Easter. Good Friday services involve veneration of the cross, scripture readings, and prayers, culminating in the Easter Vigil on Saturday night, a highly symbolic and sacred celebration of Christ’s Resurrection, often including baptisms and scripture reflections. Easter Sunday then marks the joyous conclusion of Lent, celebrating Christ’s victory over death with a high emphasis on the Eucharist and resurrection hope.

What to Give Up for Lent

If something has a grip on you, more than likely, it’s become unhealthy and may or may not be an idol. Lent season is an opportunity to grow closer to God, to remember Jesus’ life and death, and to focus more on him and less on ourselves and our busy schedules. Fasting, or abstaining, for certain activities and items in our lives can help us focus on the life and sacrifice of Jesus. Here are 10 popular ideas for what to give up during the lent season:

Social media
Sugar
Alcohol
Online Shopping
Clutter
Complaining
TV
Video games
Soda
Eating out

For more ideas, read 50 Things to Give Up for Lent

What Are Your Motives for Observing Lent?

These 40 days of Lent are set aside to praise and worship the Lord; to read the Bible more, and to pray more often. Christians who observe Lent correctly anticipate deeper intimacy with the Lord, which is the blessing; they do not expect rewards such as more favorable answers to prayer or the resolution of health concerns, although many Christians have reported that, following Lent, they experience freedom from long-standing issues.

Many Christians prefer not to observe this pre-Easter tradition because it smacks of religious duty. Christ said of the Pharisees, "They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden” (Matthew 23:4). He often criticized the Pharisees for disheartening the Jews with demands that missed the heart of God. Christ did not establish the tradition of Lent as a commandment for followers to observe. Whether or not to participate is a matter between the individual and God.

“It is important to check one's motives for observing Lent. Christ told the disciples “when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that others may see their fasting. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward" (Matthew 6:16). A small personal sacrifice should not be “a badge of pride.” The intent of a Lenten observance is to recognize our need for repentance and our depravity apart from God (1 John 1:9; Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:13), to draw closer to God, and to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Easter.”

Is Lent a matter of obedience to tradition or obedience to God? A means of achieving works-based salvation or of giving praise and thanks to Christ that He finished that work for eternity? A way to achieve a resolution or a means of growing closer to the Father?

Undertaking something difficult (giving to charity, serving the poor, abstaining from certain foods, memorizing Scripture) makes one feel needy and weak; humble: the perfect posture from which to approach God Almighty. For people whose lives are generally easy, Lent is a time to empathize better with those who genuinely go without luxuries or even simple needs. Lent can help establish a stronger sense of one’s need of God minute by minute and to develop a more disciplined, intimate, and authentic prayer life.