Mark from Honolulu called into The Patrick Madrid Show with a Lent question that you might have wondered about:

"Can I add something extra for Lent (like good deeds or ministry work) instead of giving something up?"

Sounds appealing, right? You don’t have to suffer through black coffee and no streaming services... just do extra good stuff! 

Patrick’s take? Not so fast. (no pun intended)

He explains that this whole "just add something" idea actually became trendy in the ‘90s. Lent is about self-denial; just like Jesus said: "If you wish to be my disciple, deny yourself." 

Giving something up is about:

Mastering our bodily appetites (self-control)

Learning to detach from things we like

Deepening our dependence on God

So, bottom line?

Adding good deeds = Good 

Skipping self-denial = Not so good 

You can add something extra, but don’t skip the sacrifice. Time to say goodbye to that daily coffee run (or, you know, whatever your comfort is) and embrace the Lent struggle.