Lent

   What is Lent and is this something  I should be participating in? I have friends who are Catholic who receive  ashes on ASH Wednesday and fast for 40 days. According to one sight (The upper Room) ,"Lent is a season of the Christian Year where Christians focus on simple living, prayer, and fasting in order to grow closer to God." I have been praying for a newness of purpose and a revival in my own walk. As I read this simple description why would I not participate in this. According to Mathew 4:1-11 Jesus was sent into the wilderness by the Spirit. He fasted and prayed for 40 days. I have also been reading more about living a surrendered life. Can I forgo some little pleasure, some sort of comfort for my faith? I am not one for becoming legalistic and most certainly not talking about trying to win some favor with my sacrifice. I have fasted in the past but am feeling tugged towards releasing the need to gratify my cravings and so am choosing this year to participate in Lent.

 "But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 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." Mathew 6 17,18

 "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us,God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." Ephesian 2:3-5

12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c] 1Corinthians 2:12-13