10 Meaningful Lent Devotionals for 2026
Lent is a sacred 40-day journey leading up to Easter — a season to slow down, reflect on Jesus’ life and sacrifice, and deepen your walk with God. Whether you’re new to Lent or simply want fresh devotional ideas this year, these Lent devotionals and 40-day Bible study guides offer Scripture readings, prayer prompts, and simple rhythms to help you stay focused on Jesus from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday.
From printable plans and daily readings to heartfelt prayer guides and journaling ideas, this list has options for busy moms, women craving intentional quiet time, and anyone hoping to encounter God in a deeper way this season.
Quick Guide: What to Know About Lent
When is Lent this year?
In 2026 Lent runs from February 18th, 2026—April 2nd, 2026.
What is Lent?
Lent is the 40 days before Easter. Traditionally, Christians use this season to fast, pray, and intentionally prepare their hearts to remember Christ’s death and celebrate His resurrection.
Why use a Lent devotional?
- For me, a Lenten devotional helps me engage more deeply in God’s Word and stay consistent in my time with the Lord.
- A 40-day Lent devotional can provide prayers and reflections to specifically prepare your heart for Easter.
- Focus your Bible study and prayer on the life of Jesus and what following Him looks like practically.
- Give you ideas to use with your family to prepare together for Easter.
Origins and History of Lent
Lent has been part of the Christian church since the earliest centuries, when believers practiced fasting and prayer before Easter. Over time, the church shaped this season into a 40-day period, echoing moments of fasting and preparation in Scripture — like Jesus in the wilderness, Moses on Mount Sinai, and Elijah traveling to Mount Horeb.
In most Western churches today, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. The 40 days don’t include Sundays, because Sundays are traditionally considered feast days.
Modern Practices of Lent for Believers
Over the years, Lenten practices have shifted. Early Christians observed very strict fasts, while modern believers often choose meaningful rhythms that help them draw closer to God.
Today, Christians may:
- add spiritual disciplines like prayer or Bible study
- fast from certain foods, alcohol, media, or social scrolling
- practice generosity and acts of service
- spend intentional time in reflection and confession
Many believers observe Lent as a way to slow down spiritually and remember the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus.
Before You Choose: What Kind of Lent Devotional Do You Need?
Because there are varying types of Lent devotionals it’s helpful to think about what type would best serve you in this season.
- Daily 40-day devotions — These are open and go and the easiest to engage with! Most take only 5-10 minutes to complete so can be done alongside other Bible reading plans as well.
- Scripture writing / journaling plans — Slowing down and writing out Scripture by hand is a beautiful way to experience God’s Word.
- Family / kid-friendly devotionals — Great for engaging kids, but still have enough content that will bless adults!
- Printable or digital devotionals — Perfect to start right away and you can adjust size to fit your writing and reflecting needs. Also a cost-effective option!
- Devotional Apps for Lent — Highly practical, on-the-go option for those who like accessing Bible content their devices.
10 Meaningful Lent Devotionals & 40-Day Bible Study Guides
These 10 devotional ideas are perfect for leading up to Easter. There are inductive Bible studies, more contemplative ones, short and longer options. But all will help you draw near to Jesus as Easter approaches.
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1. Uncovering the Love of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu
Imagine spending 40 days truly soaking in the depth of Jesus’ love.
Asheritah’s devotional guides us through Jesus’ interactions in Scripture, revealing His incredible love demonstrated at the cross. Plus, there are weekly family activities and readings to engage everyone in your household! This short and sweet devotional has truly been a blessing to me in the past as I prepared for Easter.
2. The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Ordinary Days by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie:
Let’s be real, life isn’t always picture-perfect. This prayer book offers beautiful, honest blessings for the ordinary days—the messy, the joyful, and everything in between.
It’s a breath of fresh air for those moments when we just need to exhale and remember God’s presence in our everyday lives. Inside the book is a 40 Day reading plan for Lent that I really enjoyed using in the past. I like to repeat the blessings out loud and then do some prayer journaling around each theme.
3. Claiming the Promises of God by Katie M. Scott
What better way to prepare for Easter than by anchoring ourselves in God’s promises?
This 40-day devotional focuses on promises like “God is always with me” and “Joy is always possible,” helping us deepen our faith and connect with God’s heart. Each day includes a Scripture verse, write the Word challenge, journaling space for reflection, and a worship song that goes along with the passage.
4. Journey to the Cross by Will Walker and Kendall Haug
If you’re looking for a more contemplative approach, this devotional is perfect. It guides us through six central themes of the Christian life—repentance, humility, suffering, lament, sacrifice, and death—through Bible readings, daily Lent prayers, and reflections. It’s a beautiful way to focus on Christ’s sacrifice.
5. Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only by Beth Moore
Although longer than Lent’s 40 days this study unpacks the life and impact of Christ in stunning detail.
It includes lots of room for reflection and journaling as well as Beth’s life-giving perspective and study guide for delving into the life of Christ. This study truly impacted me and I love the ability to journal alongside Bible study.
6. She Reads Truth: Lent 2026: Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross
Join the She Reads Truth community for a 47 day journey through the themes Return, Repent, and Remember.
This plan is very cost-effective (using the app is 1.99-2.99 per plan) and has a great community aspect. Each day includes Scripture readings and a devotional from the She Reads Truth writing team. I’m always blessed by the encouraging and practical truth from this devotional community.
7. Loved to Life by Ann Voskamp
Ann Voskamp invites us on a 40-day pilgrimage through the Gospel of John, exploring the depth of God’s love.
With beautiful devotionals, Bible passages, and woodcut illustrations, it’s a transformative journey that will leave you feeling completely loved and more in love with your Savior than ever! I completed this devotional over Lent last year (right while my husband was being diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer!)and it resonated so deeply with me. Each day was a soothing balm and joy to read. Highly recommend!
8. Lent in Plain Sight: A Devotion Through Ten Objects by Jill Duffield
I have not personally read this book, but the concept is so intriguing to me! Jill Duffield unpacks Lent through 10 simple objects that were present in Jesus’ daily life.
Instead of rushing through the Passion story, this devotional invites you to pay attention to small but meaningful details: dust on the road, bread shared at the table, thorns pressed into His brow. Each week centers on one object, guiding you through Scripture, reflection questions, and prayer as you draw closer to Jesus.
9. Journey to the Cross by Paul David Tripp
Paul David Tripp’s devotional encourages us to set aside time to focus on Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice.
Through 40 days of impactful readings, we’re reminded of the abundant joy found in Christ. I love this author’s heart of a counselor that does a great job of reflecting Jesus truth AND grace. Each day includes three reflective questions to examine yourself with. (Perfect for really digging in!) Each day also has a Scripture reading assigned at the end.
10. ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus from The Daily Grace Co.
This 40-day Lent Bible study walks us through Jesus’ most well-known words in the Gospels.
I find Daily Grace Co. Bible studies to be filled with solid teaching and guided questions that help you dig deeper into the text. This study will probably take 15-20 minutes, so a bit on the longer side. This study in particular helps us understand who Jesus is, what He values, and what it means to follow Him, culminating in His final words from the cross.
No matter which resource you choose, remember that Lent is a season of reflection and preparation. Let’s use this time to draw closer to Jesus, deepen our faith, and prepare our hearts to celebrate the joy of Easter!
My prayer is that these Lent devotionals help you slow down and really see Jesus in this season. You don’t have to do Lent “perfectly” — simply show up with your heart open.
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