Testimony Tuesday - Fasting

Fasting isn't easy.  It's not supposed to be.  That's probably why we (as people) tend to avoid it if possible.  Fasting involves saying no to things we want and that's just not fun! 

I have done different fasts as a believer.  Up to this point the longest juice fast I have done was 2 weeks and that was in college.  I've fasted one day a week for a while, done a Daniel fast for 21 days, done different juice fasts for a week at a time...but this one is different.  Yes it's physically different (longer) but I'm also at a different place in my life.  I find that God is always inviting me to go deeper with Him so each fast is just a bit different.  Physically it isn't fun but spiritually it's amazing!

If you do not attend our church let me fill you in.  Mark has called our church to a 21 day fast.  It started on the 11th and will go to the 31st.  He just asked people to pray about what to fast.  He and I are juice fasting (eating nothing and drinking fresh juice from our juicer and water and hot tea).  I started last Monday because I will be out of town when the fast ends and the logistics of continuing to fast or come out of the fast were a bit challenging so I started early and will end early so I can adjust to eating food again before I leave town. So today I am on Day 9. I thought I'd share a bit that God is doing in me while I've been fasting.  

Here is something I wrote down the other day as I was journaling (something I highly recommend while fasting) ---As believers our relationship with earthly things should be Yadah (meaning with open hands - you may recall that from our women's retreat). However many things are held close with tight fists. Fasting reveals our true feelings about certain things. If God is asking us to fast from something and we flat out say no, we are declaring that that is more important than Him. He reveals our relationship with that thing (food, technology, etc...) Fasting helps loosen the hold things can have on is. Fasting frees us from earthly things and focuses our eyes on Christ. ----

I have been able to look at my attitude about giving things up and have realized the need I have placed on things that I don't really "need".  What takes up my time, what distracts me, what keeps me entertained... I'm not saying we should cut out everything (as I type on my computer) but to realize the relationship I have with these things.  Are they more important that my time with God?  Sometimes my answer isn't what I'd like it to be...Fasting helps me see where I have placed things in order of importance and how I can return them to their proper place.

I had an interesting experience with my kids that I thought I'd share with you.  My two oldest, Kale (9) and Kate (7), told us that they wanted to join the 21 day fast and do a Daniel Fast (eating only fruits, veggies, beans and nuts).  We wanted to encourage them to do what they felt God was telling them to do but we knew that 21 days is really hard for adults.  We didn't really know what that would do to our kids.  We encouraged them to start with 2 days and see how it went, then decide if they wanted to do the whole 21.  They agreed.

Kale started Saturday and Kate started Sunday.  They were both fired up at the beginning.  Seemed like they'd do really well.  Then temptation came and it went from fun to extremely difficult.  There were a few things we did on Sunday that involved food and they just looked at it and drooled!

Finally Sunday night at a housewarming party we attended (with amazing smelling food!!) they broke down.  They didn't know what to do.  They really wanted to eat the good food and not just the veggies.  So we went into another room for a chat.  I told them that I wasn't making them fast and I reminded them that this was something they thought God was telling them to do.  I encouraged them to go speak with God and then do what He told them to do.  

A few minutes later they came back to where we were and said that God told them they could be done fasting :) and then they proceeded to eat happily.  I wasn't disappointed in their decision.  I'm proud of them for even attempting!  They are definitely at an age where they aren't used to having to tell themselves no.  They rely on us for that. Haha!  But this was a great lesson on practicing hearing and obeying what the Holy Spirit tells them to do.  Something I need practice in!

It was really interesting to watch my kids struggle with the same things I do - telling myself to obey the Holy Spirit and not my desires.  It isn't easy for anyone.  But with the help of the Holy Spirit it's possible!  And freeing!