I'm sorry. I just don't get it. I know that it is scriptural to fast. I mean Esther commanded the entire nation of Israel to fast for her. Our pastor (my husband) has asked our church to fast for various reasons. His most recent request was for us to fast as a body for our upcoming revival. I am trying to be obedient, but I struggle with this. It is in fact almost embarrassing for me to even admit this failure.
At the worship conference this past weekend one of the presenters was so honest regarding her battles with this same issue. She talked about how she would start the day with the best of intentions, but would have to "press delete" and start all over by lunch time. I feel very much like this. So many times I have tried and failed.
I have been a Christian since I was 5. I attended my first service at the tender age of 7 days. In almost 42 years of faithful church attendance, I have never heard any teaching on how to fast! I've only been given the examples of why we should fast.
I am eager to learn and I truly want to be obedient but has anyone thought of writing a book on how to fast. How about "Fasting for Dummies" or maybe a course, "Fasting 101"?
Surely I am not the only one in the dark. Help me out somebody!!!
At the worship conference this past weekend one of the presenters was so honest regarding her battles with this same issue. She talked about how she would start the day with the best of intentions, but would have to "press delete" and start all over by lunch time. I feel very much like this. So many times I have tried and failed.
I have been a Christian since I was 5. I attended my first service at the tender age of 7 days. In almost 42 years of faithful church attendance, I have never heard any teaching on how to fast! I've only been given the examples of why we should fast.
I am eager to learn and I truly want to be obedient but has anyone thought of writing a book on how to fast. How about "Fasting for Dummies" or maybe a course, "Fasting 101"?
Surely I am not the only one in the dark. Help me out somebody!!!
10 comments:
I will be in line when that book(Fasting for Dummies) comes out.Your not alone I am clueless on fasting.Never have even tried.Would like to know how to go about it.
Try Fasting for an entire month....not even chewing gum or drinking water all day until the sun goes down...it is tough but after the first or second day it is really easy. As a muslim we fast for one month out of a year during the month of Ramadaan.
When we fast we wake early in the morning before sun rise and have a big breakfast. Then we pray and begin our fast. Nothing to eat until the sun has set. Then we eat a big meal after the sun goes down. It is easy to do now while the days are shorter. But You can do it just ask God to give you strength and make you intention for him not for anyone else but him.
If you need any more help with it let me know.
I was going to say you should ask a Muslim since we do it for an entire month every year. As already explained our fasting might be a bit different, from sun up to sun down. But some ways not to fold could possibly be the same. First is starting off with the right intentions. Having a meal to help hold you over until you break your fast helps. Involving an entire community in the fast, or your family. Have everyone break their fast together, if it is the church have a large church gathering to break the fast. Avoid your routine for lunch, harder to do with small children. But if you have free lunch time and find yourself gravitating towards a food place, simply go the other direction. Read the bible, pray, take a walk with someone else who is fasting. Charity is always good at this time too, donate food, or meals to someone who is poor or ill. And know that the first couple of days are the most difficult. So if necessary find a fasting buddy. Like diet buddies fasting buddies work too.
I to have a problem with fasting more than one day, Its really hard ,Im with you and sylvia, I also need that book!!!!I couldnt even imaging fasting for a whole month like that ,overcomeing my fleshly desire for food is so hard to defeat, I do admire that , to have that much self control, wow!!
Libby , I think we should have a how to fasting & praying class at church for people who have a hard time doing it,and to support one another and be accountable , amen??
Maybe you should tell that no good, lazy pastor of yours to... Oh, wait a minute... THAT'S ME!!!
Seriously, I never thought about teaching on fasting until we had this conversation yesterday.
Coming Soon to Harvest Church...
"Fasting 101".
Great idea hon. I appreciate you calling this need to my attention!
You are such a gracious man.
Thanks for all the imput.
I knew that during Ramadaan there was a month long fast and always wondered how you did it. I thought you didn't eat at all for the 30 days, though. Still fasting all day must not be easy.
Jesus fasted for 40 days! I never understood how He could do that. I know He was and is the Son of God, but he was still in human form so He felt the hunger pains and weakness just as we do.
I'm looking forward to "Fasting 101"!
What makes the fast easy is the intention that we are doing it for God and no one else. If I was doing it for myself I would never get through even a day but knowing that I am doing it to please God makes it worth while.
Wait just to clarify...I said "God" not "Jesus".
Jesus is not the only one in the Bible who fasted for 40 days, Moses (Exo 34:28) & Elijah (1 Kings 19:8-18) did too.
These imply that it was not just daylight hours, but 24-7.
Fasting is defiantly a lost disciple of the American church.
It is sad too because Jesus implies that some works of God can not be done without fasting (Matt 17:19-21)
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