This is a continuation of a previous post.

… After being stressed about life situations, I would come home and realize that my source of release was not there.  Over time, I have realized that we say so much and really don’t back it up with actions.  “Prayer is the answer to your problems.”  Great quote and concept.  However, many of us talk about praying more than we really pray.  We are really good at talking about spiritual concepts.  In fact, we have been in church so long that we have heard those last few sentences 758 times.  We know we talk more than we ‘do’, yet we still don’t DO.  James said in the New Testament, ‘Don’t just be a hearer of the Word, but also DO it.’

The only way to start ‘doing’ is to hit rock bottom.  We don’t hit rock bottom until we give up our alternate sources of satisfaction and relief.  Christians are very critical of drug abusers, alcohol drinkers, smokers, etc.  Yet, we cling to our own hits of entertainment, culture, and caffeine.

The way we start being Christ like is to do what Christ did.  He fasted.  Be threw out the emotional crutches and hobbled around in the desert for 40 days, getting beat up by the devil and temptation.  Fasting sounds so appealing until you try it.  Randy Phillips says, “There is never a good time to fast.”  So true!  We can always find reasons to NOT give something up. When we fast from personal habits or things, we are without our pleasure producing product.  We miss our emotional support and we fall flat.  Whether it is your stomach cramping or your head hurting.  Whether it is your inbox filling up or your remote getting cold…

Fasting from food is the fundamental fast.  However in 2009, a better fast might be one from myspace, facebook, texting, television, internet surfing, caffeine, sweets, sodas, 🙂  You know what I am talking about.

• How often do you crave drinking that next sugary, unhealthy drink (with 9 spoons of sugar)?
• How often do you race to the phone to check that message after you hear the bleep of a new message?  And why do you care?
• How often when the day is dragging do you think to tonight’s television schedule… and are saddened because none of your shows are on tonight?
• How often do you say, I can’t make it without some coffee…?

You can’t make it?  … Seriously?

It sounds like it is time for a fast.  Fasting from things we find pleasure in, re-centers our lives around the most important focal point, Jesus Christ.  Sometimes after fasts, we return to enjoying those things in different quantities or schedules.  But, a beautiful sign to me is when I simply lose interest in the thing I once craved.  It doesn’t  have the special ring to it anymore.   Instead, it is replaced by a new Spiritual connection with God.

-robin