Fasting

I've been thinking a lot about fasting (or abstaining from something for a period of time) recently. Not only are we in the 3rd week of Lent (or 4th, depending on your church), but today is the first day of the April session of the Global Bridegroom Fast, which occurs on the first Monday-Wednesday of each month. I have several friends who are giving up various things in order to observe (and celebrate!) these times of fasting, such as junk food, shoes, Facebook, even talking! There is someone in our prayer room on campus for 36 hours straight, for the Global Bridegroom Fast.

I had the 6pm shift in the prayer room today, and I will meeting up with friends for the 10pm shift tomorrow and the 11pm shift on Wednesday. This morning in chapel, our campus pastor spoke about fasting and how Christians fast to dedicate time to God and to seek his face and his will more clearly. It's been a great day just learning about fasting and the freedom we have to give something to God.

And I suppose here is the point where I should comment on my personal interaction with fasting. I once wanted to participate in the 30-hour famine sponsored by World Vision, but I was cautioned against it, because I was a growing teenage girl. However, I did decide to give up other things as time went on. The week before Prom my senior year, I gave up Facebook for seven days. It was awesome. Since January 1st, 2011, other than the week of Spring Break, I have only had Coke and sweet Tea on the weekends. I turned off my Facebook chat the week before Lent. During Lent, I have chosen not to get on Facebook on Sundays. I've made small steps that have made a difference in who I am and how I spend my time.

I did not specifically give up anything for Lent this year, because I didn't feel God telling me to do so. That's the number one step of fasting: don't do it unless God tells you to do it. During chapel this morning, after being challenged to give up something and use that time to reconnect with God, our campus pastor gave us a brief moment to pray about it and ask God what he wanted us to do. During this time, friends of mine decided to fast from all food for three days and another friend received renewed dedication and peace about her original Lenten sacrifice, among other things. I, on the other hand, didn't feel or receive anything then, but it began to hit me later.

I love Lipton Green Tea. I realized it when I was almost late to class this morning because I had to put more bottles of green tea in my fridge so they would be cold when I wanted them. Because I'm not drinking coke and sweet tea, I drink water in the cafeteria and green tea in the dorm. So, how much green tea am I actually drinking on a daily basis?

I decided to give up green tea for the three days of the Global Bridegroom Fast. I will only be drinking water and milk during this time (and the 4 tablespoons of Cuban coffee my roommate gave me tonight). It's only Monday and I'm missing my green tea. But I know this will teach me something. I know that God placed this seemingly insignificant thing on my heart for a purpose. And I also know that God's going to start me with the little things, like Green Tea, before I can graduate to giving even more of me to God on a daily basis.

My challenge here is for you to consider what typically stands in between you and God. Or what do you spend a large portion of your time doing? Ask God what he wants to give up for a day, three days, a week, a month, six months, or longer. And do it. Do it if you have a specific prayer need you desire to bring before God. Do it if you want to focus more on an intimate fellowship with God.

Overwhelmed Only By His Love

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Facebook Fast Update #2

Today is day 6 1/2. Tomorrow the "half" is really the whole day because I promised not to get on Facebook until after prom. I won't be home from prom until midnight, which is obviously Sunday. :)

Anyway, other than daydreaming about what my crops must be doing, or wondering how many notifications I'll have when I return, fasting from Facebook isn't truly that hard.

But I have a confession. By eliminating Facebook, I haven't really replaced it with something else. I mean, my life is so busy anyway, but I thought I'd have all this time to do whatever with. Turns out I just watch tv and go to bed earlier. Not entirely what I thought I'd do.

Although maybe today will be different. No school today. I'm getting my eyebrows done at 10:15, then heading to the mall for some kind of hair accessory for prom. I'll be home before lunch, so what am I going to do with the rest of my day? Work on homework for Monday? (Probably, because all I have is a Budget plan for Econ.)

But, I digress. The point is that I'll have more free time today and tomorrow morning/early afternoon. Which is why I'm writing here instead of posting a good Facebook status.

Something I've realized while doing this is that you get out what you put in. When I stopped making status updates, I stopped getting as many e-mails (something I forgot to turn off) announcing that my friends had commented on my statuses. I think that concept applies to other areas of life, too. If I put hours into a certain friendship or relationship, building up the other person, communicating, developing inside jokes... I'm going to get something great out of it. Same thing with God. I haven't been putting in much lately. I've been feeling like I'm working too hard and I'm not getting anything out.

At youth group on Wednesday, the message series was called "Flirt" and it's about "the air and opportunity between God and me". Our youth pastor told us that (in the best sense), God is flirting with us. He draws us towards him and chases us, like guys should do for girls. I've never really heard it mentioned like that before. And I've never really felt like that before. It always seems like I have to do the work to get to God.

People always quote James 4:8 ("Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.") which always leaves me wondering if I have to be perfect to enter God's presence, if I have to do to the work to get to know God. Wouldn't he want to get to know me?

Since context is king, I went to James chapter 4. It describes sinful, covetous people who quarrel and fight because they don't have what they want "because you do not ask God" (v. 2). It goes on to say that when they ask, they ask with "wrong motives" (v. 3).

It says that "friendship with the world is hatred toward God" (v. 4) but that God gives us more grace if we are humble (v. 6). Verse seven is a call for submission to God and resistance to the devil. And there is verse eight, which tells us to draw near to God and purify ourselves. Verses nine and ten tell us to be sad and gloomy and to humble ourselves so God will lift us up.

Huh?

So then I looked at a commentary (here). The commentary says that James is clear about sinful practices and motives "not to leave us in deeper despair over it, but that we may humble ourselves before the Lord and find grace for change". But the commentary does not speak directly to verse 8.

I have to go take a shower, but I trust that this will be resolved. Secretly, though, it's a little scary. Ever been pursued by a guy? It's unnerving! It's hard to know what's happening next.

More later.

Facebook Fast Update #1

Facebook withdrawal is starting to set in and it's been less than an hour. Seriously, I just thought of a Facebook status about fasting from Facebook. Then I thought of a Facebook status about thinking about a Facebook status about fasting from Facebook. It's that bad.

I'm fasting from Facebook for seven days to put my focus back on God. Basically, all the time I would have spent on Facebook, I'll now spend with God and family and friends (in real life).

Is it going to work? Not sure. But it's my feeble attempt to get my mind on what really matters - God. And also to stop wasting my time - which I do a lot.

Lord willing I can curb my Facebook addiction!

Oh boy... This will be harder than I thought.