Fasting isn't what I expected.
Today I am fasting. Â It's quite amazing to see the thoughts my mind has focused on today. Â It's definitely not what I expected. Â I thought I would be hungry, cranky, complaining, and waiting for tomorrow to hurry up and come so that I could eat. Â Those thoughts entered my mind sometimes, but were quickly dismissed. Â It made me realize how fortunate I was to be able to eat, and eat a lot. Â I drove by so many tempting restaurants, but instead of wishing to go in, I actually felt so spoiled. Â I felt bad for having so much more than I deserve. Â
It was also just good to have the feeling of needing God. Â I felt like I prayed a lot more simply because I knew I was going through something hard and God was the best solution. Â I think that discovered the parallels between food and other earthly temptations. Â I can't just give up food on my own. Â I know that the only way to keep my stomach from growling is to pray. Â I ask the Lord for help, for strength, to occupy my mind so I don't think about the hunger. Â It helps me reverse the perspective of being hungry and instead start to be thankful. Â It got me thinking that if this works with food, why wouldn't it work with any other type of earthly desire. Â Sex? Money? Power? Â All of those things are something that very easy take hold of my heart and steer it. Â Instead of giving in or feeling like it's too hard, all I have to do is exactly what I did today. Â Just ask for help. Â It's so stupidly simple, but it has to be genuine and it isn't easy to give those things up. Â God will bring you through it, not you. Â Not your will power, not your self-control, God will empower you. Â Have faith and try for yourself!














