Sunday, February 22, 2026 – First Sunday of Lent (Overview for Puzzled Series Week 1)

Where Are We Headed This Week

Lent does not start with improvement. It begins with honesty.

Before resurrection, before joy, before change — Scripture takes us into the wilderness. Not as punishment, but as mercy. Because the wilderness is where our distractions fade, our noise quiets, and we finally hear the questions we’ve been avoiding.

This week, we are not trying to become better Christians. We are learning to become honest people. The first grace God offers us is not instruction. It is the courage to stop hiding.

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A Deeper Look

The Bible opens the story of brokenness with something surprising. Adam and Eve do not run away from God. They hide from being seen.

“I heard you… and I was afraid… so I hid.”

That sentence still lives inside us. We hide behind competence. We hide behind humor. We hide behind busyness. Some of us even hide behind church involvement.

But the wilderness strips away the covering. Not to shame us — to free us. Because what we keep hidden, we keep carrying. Psalm 32 tells us that silence weighs heavily on the soul. But confession — simply telling God the truth — opens the door to relief, mercy, and healing.

Lent begins here: Not with God demanding more from you, but God asking one gentle question:

“Where are you?”

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Biblical Texts This Week

• Genesis 2:15–17; 3:1–7
• Psalm 32
• Romans 5:12–19
• Matthew 4:1–11

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Weekly Practices

1. The 5-Minute Honesty Prayer (daily)
Sit quietly and pray: “God, here is what is actually true about me today…”

No fixing.
No explaining.
No spiritualizing.

Just honesty.

2. One Sentence Journal
Each night, finish this sentence: “Today I noticed I was hiding when…”

3. Fast from Pretending
This week, do not say “I’m fine” when you are not.
You don’t have to overshare — just choose one safe person and be real.