18 10 / 2011
Countdown: Nove
To better prepare myself for my series of trips, I have decided to fast watching Real World: San Diego. Surprising, right? I really wanted to continue watching it honestly because I miss living in San Diego so much!
Fasting is a form of prayer that allows us to empty ourselves of the things that are not of God. It doesn’t stop there though, for fasting allows God to fill our emptiness with His blood/water/soul/divinity. The result? A cup that overflows and cleanses the soul.
By fasting that reality show, I am striving to keep my mind and thoughts pure and fixed on Christ. Fasting has helped me realize that I should pray for those “seven strangers”, because despite them being blessed with an amazing (rent free) house in one of the best cities in the U.S., I can sense that each and every one of them is still yearning for something more. I can sense it when one of the males on the show, one of my brothers in Christ, is angry when he is intoxicated. I can sense it when one of the females on the show, one of my sisters in Christ, says she is now a vulnerable person due to giving her body to multiple men who all ended up breaking her heart. What are they all yearning for? There is only one answer: God. Or maybe two answers: God and love. God is love though, so there is only one answer.
We may think fasting is very difficult and self-mutilating. It is most depressing to do when we repress our desires and say “no”. No, I won’t eat chocolate. No, I won’t go on Facebook. No, I won’t watch t.v. No, no, no! With this posture, we are only delaying that inevitable moment(s) when we succumb to our selfish desires. It’s a recipe for repeated failure.
Fasting can actually turn out to be easy and self-mastering. It is most enjoyable to do when we allow God to transform our desires and say “yes”. Yes, I will be healthy. Yes, I will be productive with my time. Yes, I will increase my knowledge and wisdom by reading a book. Yes, yes, yes! With this posture, we are living each day knowing that God’s desires are becoming our (selfless) desires. It’s a recipe not just for victory, but everlasting peace.
Fasting is good. Fasting and almsgiving is better. Fasting, almsgiving and prayer is the best!
