The Lent season is a meaningful time for reflection, prayer, and spiritual growth. It invites believers to slow down, turn their hearts toward God, and prepare for Easter with humility and faith.
During Lent, Bible verses help guide our thoughts and actions. They remind us of sacrifice, repentance, love, and the hope found in God’s promises.
This spiritual guide brings together Bible verses that encourage deeper faith and personal renewal throughout the Lenten season.
Understanding the Lenten Season
- Duration: 40 days (excluding Sundays) from Ash Wednesday to Easter
- 2026 Dates: February 18 (Ash Wednesday) to April 5 (Easter Sunday)
- Biblical Foundation: Jesus’s 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11)
- Purpose: Spiritual preparation through self-examination, repentance, and renewal
- Traditional Practices: Fasting, prayer, almsgiving, sacrifice, and increased worship
- Theme: Journey from death to resurrection, darkness to light, sin to redemption
Why These Verses Matter for Lent?
While “Lent” isn’t mentioned in Scripture, the spiritual practices at its heart are thoroughly biblical. Jesus fasted 40 days, called His followers to prayer and sacrifice, and modeled humble service. The Lenten journey mirrors His wilderness experience and prepares our hearts to appreciate the magnitude of His death and resurrection.
Verses About Jesus’s Wilderness Experience
1. Matthew 4:1-2 (NIV)
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
Reflection: Lent’s 40-day duration mirrors Jesus’s wilderness fast. The Spirit led Him into this testing period, just as God leads us into seasons of spiritual intensification.
Application: Enter Lent understanding that God leads you into this season. Like Jesus, you’ll face testing but also emerge stronger.
2. Luke 4:14 (ESV)
“And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out throughout the surrounding country.”
Reflection: Jesus emerged from wilderness testing in the Spirit’s power. Lent positions us to emerge spiritually stronger and more empowered.
Application: Anticipate coming out of Lent with greater spiritual power and effectiveness. This season is preparation for increased impact.
3. Mark 1:12-13 (NIV)
“At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.”
Reflection: Even during intense testing, Jesus was attended by angels. God provides supernatural support during difficult spiritual seasons.
Application: Expect challenges during Lent but also expect God’s supernatural help. You’re not enduring this alone.
Verses About Repentance
4. Joel 2:12-13 (ESV)
“‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.”
Reflection: This passage, central to Ash Wednesday liturgy, emphasizes genuine heart repentance over external displays. God desires internal transformation.
Application: Make Lent about deep heart change, not just external religious observance. Rend your heart, not just your habits.
5. Acts 3:19 (NIV)
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
Reflection: Repentance leads to sins being wiped out and refreshing from God. Lent’s repentance prepares for Easter’s renewal.
Application: Use Lent to turn from specific sins. Experience the refreshing that comes from genuine repentance.
6. Luke 13:3 (ESV)
“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Reflection: Jesus emphasized repentance’s urgency. It’s not optional but essential for spiritual life.
Application: Don’t delay repentance. Use Lent as your opportunity to turn from anything that separates you from God.
7. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Reflection: Corporate and personal revival requires humility, prayer, seeking God, and turning from sin—all Lenten disciplines.
Application: Combine all four elements during Lent: humble yourself, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from wicked ways.
Verses About Fasting
8. Matthew 6:16-18 (NIV)
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Reflection: Jesus assumes His followers will fast (“when you fast,” not “if”). Fasting should be sincere, for God alone, not for others’ approval.
Application: Plan your Lenten fast. Do it genuinely for God, not to impress others or gain attention.
9. Isaiah 58:6-7 (ESV)
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”
Reflection: God desires fasting that produces justice, compassion, and generosity. True fasting transforms how we treat others.
Application: Pair fasting with serving others during Lent. Let self-denial lead to helping those in need.
10. Joel 2:15 (NIV)
“Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.”
Reflection: Fasting was a communal spiritual discipline, bringing God’s people together in united seeking.
Application: Consider joining your church community in corporate fasting during Lent. United prayer and fasting carries unique power.
11. Acts 13:2-3 (NIV)
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”
Reflection: The early church combined fasting with worship and prayer when seeking God’s direction. Fasting creates space to hear God.
Application: Use Lenten fasting to seek God’s guidance for important decisions. Clear mental and spiritual space to hear Him.
Verses About Prayer and Devotion
12. Jeremiah 29:12-13 (ESV)
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
Reflection: Wholehearted seeking guarantees finding God. Half-hearted Lenten observance produces disappointing results.
Application: Don’t hold back during Lent. Seek God with your entire heart, not just part of it.
13. Matthew 6:6 (NIV)
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Reflection: Like fasting, prayer should be genuine and private, focused on God rather than the audience.
Application: Establish a consistent private prayer place for daily Lenten devotions. Meet God there throughout the 40 days.
14. Psalm 27:8 (ESV)
“You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.'”
Reflection: God invites us to seek His face—intimate relationship, not just His hand for provision.
Application: Make Lent about pursuing God Himself, not just getting things from Him. Seek His face above all.
15. James 4:8 (NIV)
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Reflection: Drawing near to God requires cleansing from sin and single-minded devotion. He promises reciprocal nearness.
Application: As you draw near throughout Lent, expect God to draw near to you. Clean hands and pure hearts position you for His presence.
16. Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
Reflection: Steadfast, watchful, thankful prayer characterizes committed disciples. Lent develops these prayer habits.
Application: Commit to daily prayer during Lent. Add watchfulness and thanksgiving to deepen your practice.
Verses About Sacrifice and Surrender
17. Romans 12:1 (NIV)
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
Reflection: God desires living sacrifices—daily surrender of our whole selves to Him. This is authentic worship.
Application: What needs to be sacrificed during Lent? Offer your body, time, habits, and desires as living sacrifices to God.
18. Luke 9:23 (ESV)
“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'”
Reflection: Following Jesus requires daily self-denial and cross-carrying. Lent intensifies this normal Christian practice.
Application: What does daily cross-bearing look like for you? Practice intentional self-denial throughout the Lenten season.
19. Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Reflection: Christian life is Christ living through us, not self-effort. Lent reminds us of crucifixion preceding resurrection.
Application: Surrender control to Christ during Lent. Let Him live through you rather than trying to improve yourself.
20. Philippians 3:7-8 (ESV)
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Reflection: Paul sacrificed everything for Christ’s surpassing worth. Lenten sacrifice pales compared to what Christ offers.
Application: Evaluate what you’re clinging to. Is Christ truly more valuable than everything else? Let Lent prove it.
Verses About Humility
21. James 4:10 (NIV)
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
Reflection: True exaltation comes through humility. When we lower ourselves, God raises us up in His timing.
Application: Practice specific acts of humility during Lent. Serve others, confess weaknesses, acknowledge dependence on God.
22. 1 Peter 5:6 (ESV)
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”
Reflection: Humbling ourselves demonstrates submission to God’s authority. Exaltation comes in His perfect timing, not ours.
Application: Submit to God’s will throughout Lent, even when difficult. Trust His timing for lifting you up.
23. Micah 6:8 (NIV)
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Reflection: God’s requirements are simple: justice, mercy, and humble walking with Him. Lent develops all three.
Application: Focus on one each week: Week 1-2 justice, Week 3-4 mercy, Week 5-6 humble walking with God.
24. Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Reflection: Humility expresses itself by valuing and serving others above self. Lent practices this others-focused living.
Application: Identify ways to put others’ interests ahead of your own during Lent. Practice preferring others daily.
Verses About Spiritual Renewal
25. Psalm 51:10 (NIV)
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Reflection: David’s post-sin prayer acknowledges only God can create clean hearts and renew spirits. We can’t self-generate renewal.
Application: Make this your daily Lenten prayer. Ask God to create purity and renew steadfastness from within.
26. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Reflection: In Christ, we’re completely new creations. Old life is gone, replaced by new life in Him.
Application: Live in your new creation reality during Lent. You’re not improving your old self but walking in newness.
27. Romans 12:2 (NIV)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Reflection: Transformation happens through mind renewal. As thinking changes, life transforms and discernment increases.
Application: Renew your mind through Scripture during Lent. Let new thinking produce transformed living.
28. Titus 3:5 (ESV)
“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
Reflection: Salvation and renewal are God’s merciful work, not earned through our efforts. The Spirit accomplishes renewal.
Application: Remember Lenten disciplines don’t earn God’s favor. They position you to experience the Spirit’s renewing work.
Verses About God’s Love and Grace
29. Romans 5:8 (NIV)
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Reflection: Christ’s death wasn’t a response to our righteousness but to our sin. God loved us at our worst.
Application: Let Lent deepen your appreciation for Christ’s sacrifice. He died while you were still a sinner.
30. Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Reflection: Salvation is pure grace, not earned merit. Lenten practices don’t save—they help us appreciate salvation.
Application: Don’t turn Lent into works of righteousness. Remember grace is the foundation; disciplines are the response.
31. 1 John 4:19 (NIV)
“We love because he first loved us.”
Reflection: Our love—for God and others—flows from experiencing His love. We give what we’ve received.
Application: Spend Lent soaking in God’s love so you can love others more genuinely and sacrificially.
Verses About The Cross and Resurrection
32. 1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Reflection: The cross appears foolish to the world but is God’s power to believers. Lent focuses on this paradox.
Application: Meditate on the cross throughout Lent. Let it remain central, not just religious symbolism.
33. Philippians 2:8 (NIV)
“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
Reflection: Christ’s humility led to cross obedience. Lent traces His journey to crucifixion so we appreciate Easter more.
Application: Journey with Jesus toward the cross during Lent. Don’t rush to resurrection—appreciate the suffering first.
34. Romans 6:4 (ESV)
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
Reflection: Christ’s death and resurrection enable our new life. Lent’s death to self prepares for resurrection living.
Application: Practice dying to self during Lent. Anticipate walking in resurrection newness at Easter.
35. 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Reflection: Resurrection produces living hope. Lent’s journey through darkness makes Easter’s hope even brighter.
Application: Let Lenten disciplines deepen your appreciation for resurrection hope. Easter will be sweeter after 40 days of preparation.
Practical Lenten Disciplines for 2026
Traditional Lenten Practices:
Fasting:
- Fast from food (one meal daily, certain foods, or specific days)
- Fast from media (social media, TV, news)
- Fast from habits (shopping, complaining, negative thinking)
- Fast from luxuries (coffee, sweets, entertainment)
Prayer:
- Daily Scripture reading (read through the Gospels)
- Morning and evening prayer times
- Praying the Psalms
- Intercessory prayer for others
- Contemplative prayer and meditation
Almsgiving (Generous Giving):
- Increase financial giving to church or charity
- Volunteer at shelters, food banks, or ministries
- Random acts of kindness
- Supporting missionaries or ministries
- Sharing resources with those in need
Study:
- Daily devotional reading
- Lenten study book or guide
- Memorizing Scripture
- Church study groups
- Theological reading
Additional Practices:
- Weekly confession to God or trusted believer
- Journaling spiritual insights
- Attending additional worship services
- Acts of service to family and community
- Practicing gratitude daily
- Simplifying life and schedule
Weekly Lenten Themes to Follow
- Week 1: Repentance and Examination
- Week 2: Fasting and Self-Denial
- Week 3: Prayer and Intimacy with God
- Week 4: Service and Compassion
- Week 5: The Cross and Sacrifice
- Week 6 (Holy Week): Journey to the Cross
Common Lenten Mistakes to Avoid
- Legalism: Viewing Lent as earning God’s favor through religious performance
- Pride: Boasting about your sacrifices or fasting
- Comparison: Measuring your observance against others
- All or Nothing: Giving up when you fail rather than continuing
- Missing the Point: Focusing on external practices while neglecting heart transformation
- Neglecting Joy: Making Lent only about suffering rather than hopeful preparation
- Isolation: Attempting Lent alone rather than in community
Making Sundays Special During Lent
Traditionally, the 40 days of Lent don’t include Sundays, which are “mini-Easters” celebrating resurrection. Consider:
- Relaxing your fast on Sundays
- Celebrating with special meals or treats
- Focusing on worship and community
- Remembering resurrection hope
- Giving thanks for weekly victory
Moving from Lent to Easter
The goal of Lent isn’t just self-improvement but preparing your heart to fully celebrate Easter. The disciplines practiced during Lent should:
- Deepen your appreciation for Christ’s sacrifice
- Increase your hunger for resurrection life
- Humble you to receive grace more fully
- Position you to worship with greater joy
- Transform you to live more like Christ
Holy Week (the final week of Lent) intensifies preparation:
- Palm Sunday: Jesus’s triumphal entry
- Maundy Thursday: Last Supper and betrayal
- Good Friday: Crucifixion
- Holy Saturday: Tomb silence
- Easter Sunday: Resurrection celebration
Final Thoughts
Lent isn’t about earning God’s approval through religious performance. It’s about creating space in your life for God to do transforming work. The 40 days provide structured time to examine your heart, confess sin, practice spiritual disciplines, and prepare to celebrate resurrection with deeper joy.
Don’t approach Lent with dread or obligation but with anticipation. This is a gift—40 days set apart to focus on what matters most. Use this time to develop habits that will continue beyond Easter, deepen relationships that will last eternally, and encounter God in ways that transform you permanently.
The disciplines practiced during Lent—fasting, prayer, service, sacrifice, study—aren’t just for these 40 days. They’re training for a lifetime of following Jesus. Let Lent be a boot camp that prepares you for a more effective Kingdom living all year long.
Prayer for the Lenten Journey
Gracious Father, thank You for the gift of Lent—40 days to prepare my heart for Easter. As I enter this sacred season, help me approach it with sincerity, not legalism; with hope, not drudgery. Give me discipline for fasting, faithfulness in prayer, and generosity in giving. Create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit. Don’t let these practices become empty rituals but channels of Your transforming grace. Walk with me through these 40 days as I journey toward the cross and resurrection. Use Lent to draw me closer to You, conform me to Christ’s image, and fill me with resurrection power. On Easter morning, may I celebrate with deeper joy because I’ve prepared well. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Robert Hugh Benson shares inspiring Bible verses and faith-filled reflections on Prayer Forest to guide readers toward peace, hope, and prayer.