The Church Mission Society (CMS) is offering a free Lent devotional series this Easter to encourage Christians to be hopeful in an ever-challenging and changing world.
“How Not to Give Up” will be sent to subscribers starting Ash Wednesday, tomorrow (March 5), with one devotional sent per week until Easter.
“With our world in turmoil, we’ve seen hundreds of people responding to CMS’s offer of a free Lent resource designed to help them resist the temptation to give up,” said Naomi Steinberg, head of CMS communications, in comments sent to Christian Daily International.
“There seems to be a felt need for ways for people of faith to stand together and persist in hope. Jesus never gives up. Neither should we.”
Steinberg referred to the “Jesus Never Gives Up. Neither Should We” campaign that the mission society is currently running for supporters.
“This is the second year we have offered the Lent devotional, 'How Not to Give Up,'” added Steinberg.
“The content has changed for 2025; we decided to offer an updated version based on how popular it was last year, with close to 1,000 people receiving it and the positive comments we had.”
Introducing the series, CMS wrote that in a world “facing war, uncertainty and hardship,” in which it “can be tempting to give up,” they warmly invite people to uncover “seven compelling reasons for choosing hope, however near the edge of giving up we feel.”
“Among our companions will be St. Paul, through his letter to the Ephesians, as he explores what is now possible because of Jesus' life, death and resurrection,” CMS wrote.
“We’ll also hear inspiring stories from people at the edges of our world and our society, telling of how following Jesus has helped them persist in faith, hope and love.
“And our faith assures us that walking with us every step of the way is Jesus himself, ‘who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine’ (Ephesians 3:20).”
CMS has a long history dating back more than 200 years to April 12, 1799 when a group of Christians passionate about living out their relationship with God by pursuing social justice for society’s ills, such as slavery, joined together with a missional purpose. William Wilberforce, known for his major role in abolishing the transatlantic slave trade, was a member of the group, founded in Aldersgate Street in the City of London, U.K.
