I Stopped Fighting with the Left (For Lent)

Giving up confrontation helped me find something better than being right.

I’ll admit it: I’ve had my fair share of struggles with confrontation.

I’ve never been ashamed of who I am or what I believe in—and I rarely waver when I’m fighting for something I care about. That conviction has led to more than a few spats and burned bridges over the years, all because I stood my ground.

Some of the hardest confrontations haven’t been with conservatives or Republicans, but with people on the left—especially those further left than me. And for a long time, it felt like I was fighting with them more than I was fighting for anything.

But this year brought a season of change. I’ve always been religious, but recently I’ve felt a stronger desire to cultivate discipline, to practice self-control, and to embrace a more intentional kind of resistance.

I’m a Christian. I grew up in the Baptist church. These days, I’m not exactly sure where I fit denominationally. But I’ve always been drawn to certain aspects of Catholicism—and especially to the practice of Lent. So this year, I decided to observe it. I gave up something I found myself doing often: fighting.

I set strict boundaries for myself. Unless something felt 100% necessary for progress, I didn’t engage. I stayed out of petty discourse. I chose to focus on pushing back against Republicans instead of bickering with people who, deep down, want good things for the world—just like I do.

I spent more time praying. Reflecting. Gathering myself instead of obsessing over others and their theories of change.

And honestly? Now that Easter has come and gone, I realize just how unnecessary and unproductive all those fights were. I was more focused on being right than doing right. I approached every disagreement with confrontation instead of curiosity.

So no—I don’t think I’ll be going back to picking fights and causing problems (unless, of course, we’re talking about Republicans).

Will I falter? Maybe. But we all fall short of the glory of God.

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