40 Day Fast
Every fall, our church family engages in a 40-day fast that ends on Thanksgiving Day. The object is to seek greater intimacy with God by giving up a practice that can distract us from his presence in our lives. I've decided, therefore, to use this blog to observe, record, and reflect on what happens during these 40 days.
Day 1
Okay, so I thought about the fast. Actually, I had been thinking about it for at least a week and what I would do for it. These fasts always have a very positive impact on me. Sometimes I abstain from something. And sometimes I engage in something.
One time I went vegetarian and did not tell my family - on purpose. That was part of my deal. They never did find out. Something I learned on that round was how much attention my husband and kids really pay attention to me - ha! ha!
Several times, I have abstained from buying anything I really don't need. Makes me think twice, thrice about my needs vs. my wants and also makes me appreciate how much God already has supplied me.
Once I completely abstained from visual media: no TV, no magazines or newspapers. That meant that when I went to the doctor's office or hair cutters, all those piles of People Magazines were off limits. What a mind purger that was!
On a more recent fast, I tried, I really tried, to go to sleep every night before midnight. Note I said I tried. No further comment.
End of Day 1: Just don't do anything stupid that I might consider for a fast.
Day 2
That's today.
Realized that my best fasts are those that God calls me to. In other words, when it’s His idea and not just mine. Maybe that's why the "sleep before midnight" thing didn't work. Getting enough sleep's just plain good for my health. Maybe I'll instigate that anyway, not for the fast but just as a health discipline for my own good.
God did tell me something today that I feel called to undertake as part of my fast:
Pray daily for my financial advisor and his office staff.
This is not just because of the current market turmoil, although my advisor said when I told him that he would like the prayers to help him think clearly through the financial smog. I just have never consistently prayed for him. And I should. He and his staff have a ministry to me and the people connected to me. It’s not about the money but about God’s future for me and my family and others we impact:
And how do I know it’s his idea and not mine? Simply, because I would not have thought of it on my own. I’m just not that good.
End of Day 2:
I am thinking about whether intercession is a spiritual gift. Are there really gifted intercessors? Or:
Day 1
Okay, so I thought about the fast. Actually, I had been thinking about it for at least a week and what I would do for it. These fasts always have a very positive impact on me. Sometimes I abstain from something. And sometimes I engage in something.
One time I went vegetarian and did not tell my family - on purpose. That was part of my deal. They never did find out. Something I learned on that round was how much attention my husband and kids really pay attention to me - ha! ha!
Several times, I have abstained from buying anything I really don't need. Makes me think twice, thrice about my needs vs. my wants and also makes me appreciate how much God already has supplied me.
Once I completely abstained from visual media: no TV, no magazines or newspapers. That meant that when I went to the doctor's office or hair cutters, all those piles of People Magazines were off limits. What a mind purger that was!
On a more recent fast, I tried, I really tried, to go to sleep every night before midnight. Note I said I tried. No further comment.
End of Day 1: Just don't do anything stupid that I might consider for a fast.
Day 2
That's today.
Realized that my best fasts are those that God calls me to. In other words, when it’s His idea and not just mine. Maybe that's why the "sleep before midnight" thing didn't work. Getting enough sleep's just plain good for my health. Maybe I'll instigate that anyway, not for the fast but just as a health discipline for my own good.
God did tell me something today that I feel called to undertake as part of my fast:
Pray daily for my financial advisor and his office staff.
This is not just because of the current market turmoil, although my advisor said when I told him that he would like the prayers to help him think clearly through the financial smog. I just have never consistently prayed for him. And I should. He and his staff have a ministry to me and the people connected to me. It’s not about the money but about God’s future for me and my family and others we impact:
- God’s provision of college educations to equip my children to use their gifts and serve others with greater capacity
- resources that we can use to support churches and ministries
- investing God’s treasures as in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25
And how do I know it’s his idea and not mine? Simply, because I would not have thought of it on my own. I’m just not that good.
End of Day 2:
I am thinking about whether intercession is a spiritual gift. Are there really gifted intercessors? Or:
- Are the people who others consider “powerful prayers” seen as more effective because they are further along the road in spiritual growth and, therefore, have their wills more frequently and more closely aligned with God’s will?
- Do they make others feel better by giving the sheer assurance that one is being prayed – and that in turn or comforts and gives peace?
- Knowing that we are not alone and that someone else knows our concerns allow us to be more willing to accept God’s answers about a situation, even though we may not have liked it before?
- Are we all called to pray for one another (yes, duh) - but when we actually engage in prayer with true love and concern, does that change every thing?
posted by Pam Chun at 10:02 PM
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