Lent blog party Day 8. slow is the new fast

So a little bit of free advice. When you begin the next day of the Mars Hill Lent plan, make sure to check it out the night before.

Anyway, as I sat down at about ten thirty this morning eating my bowl of frosties eager to check out what my lent challenge was today, I was a little bit disheartened to see that today I had to fast during daylight hours. Oops. Fail.

Moving on I decided to finish up and start afresh, so I did. I didn't eat for the rest of the day until about six in the evening. The last time I fasted I felt like I learned a lot. This time I didn't. Maybe it was the length of time, maybe it was the fact I wasn't really prepared. But I didn't feel any different doing it. Unlike last time where I could see and feel God moving me and changing me.

But maybe this time that wasn't the point. Maybe how I feel God is speaking to me about me was not the point.

It's only now that I am writing this do I think it has hit me.

So I went a few hours without food. Big deal. I had a bowl of frosties then a few hours later I had fish and chips for dinner. Oh and a cupcake for dessert. Woopdy doo! And did I mention I drank fruit juice during the day to replace food?

Maybe this time God is telling me though that I have enough. Maybe he is reminding me that there are people who have nothing.

I've said I think this lent will be about reminders for me and so far I have been proven right. Reminders that God is big enough to deal with anything. Reminders that God loves me. And today, a reminder that I don't need much. Not really.

Giving things up is what most people do for lent. But what if are required to go further? What if we are required to give things up and then use the resources (be it time, money, ourselves) to invest in others. What if we have only really begun to scratch the surface?

I'm not going to pretend that I do those things. Because I don't. Well certainly not as much as I think we are called to.

I am grateful that this lent there will be opportunities for us to do that. To be sacrificial, not for the sake of being sacrificial, but for the sake of others. I hope like everything on the calendar I won't just let it change me for forty days or so but my life will change so I love people better all the time.

So maybe the question is not, what are you giving up for lent, but who are you loving for lent?

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moving to(o) fast

Recently I decided to go on a fast. 7 days without food, just fruit juices and water. I have never done this type of thing before (except for a very on/off successful sweet fast) so I was pretty excited and really up for it. It was going to be amazing, getting closer to God, challenging myself to something and learning about myself.

I managed 2 days!

If I am being completely true my motives weren't so pure. I didn't want to do it to look impressive but I did think it would be a quick way of losing a few much needed pounds before the football season resumed. The whole spiritual aspect was a bit of a side issue. Which I know now is not the way that a fast, especially the type I was looking for, should be done.

So I decided to read up a bit and start again sometime, ease into it instead of rushing into something I didn't fully understand. So I will.

That's not to say that it was a waste of time or a complete failure.

I started to pray. That may sound like a strange comment from a Bible College student but I don't pray that often. But when I didn't have any food for two days I just started praying. The best thing was it just seemed natural. It was supernatural. It wasn't forced. I turned to God instead of food. And I liked it a lot.

I also was less agitated. I was working for both the days I did it and I was really relaxed with annoying customers. I was in the queue paying for petrol and someone pushed in in front of me. It didn't bother me. Someone took my place and I didn't care. It didn't matter to me. It was a great feeling to be honest. Instead of getting all worked up and letting it consume me it just washed over me. I felt really healthy. Physically and mentally.

Even in such a short time my outlook on food has started to change. I like eating. Who doesn't but I started to realise that it is possible to survive without it. It was strange coming to meal times and not eating but it was possible. And after not eating when I did eat again it was good. In fact it was better than I could have imagined. Food that I have had a million times before tasted different and better. It made me think of Heaven when everything good will be heightened. Maybe it was a small fortaste into eternal life.

I appreciate food a bit more. I appreciate and am thanful that food is available to me whenever I like. I'm pretty lucky. There is a 24 hour garage a 5 minutes drive away that I can get whatever I like, whenever I like. Everytime I have eaten since, I remember this and meals have been so much more enjoyable because of it.

These are all great new ways of thinking to come out of this experience. But I want to change my behaviour. I want to not just remember people who don't have food or homes or anything else which I can readily get access to, but help them. I read somewhere that if after doing a fast it doesn't change your behaviour then it is a waste of time.

I really recommend fasting to anyone. In fact if you believe what Jesus says is true, maybe its not a command but definately an expectation. I only managed two days but in those two days I learnt a lot more about myself than in a long time. I saw my sin highlighted and I saw my outlook on things changed. It inspired me to do longer and it inspired me to do something.

I hope you take up the challenge. You won't be disappointed.

Though if I would say one thing, maybe start with short fasts and maybe someday, we can do what these guys did.

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