Pushing Away My Plate…For Real

Fasting.  An essential part of every Christian life.  Except…let’s be honest.  How many of us make it a consistent part of our lives?  How many of us push away from the plate and spend time talking to God?  How often do we deny our physical bodies to improve our spiritual walk? 

Bible Study Mama may have fasted when I was a child, but I do not recall fasting playing a role in our Christian lives growing up.  Occasionally, I would hear people discussing what they were giving for Lent.  Other than that, I do not really remember hearing much on the subject of fasting.  When you love Jesus as much as I do, and spend as much time in church and at church activities as I did, you are bound to link up with other believers that are more advanced in their Christian life.  I was having some kind of teenage drama in my life.  Who knows what it was at this point?  My friend suggested that I fast in addition to praying.

This is the point in life where the record screeched.  Fasting????  She was not even suggesting a water only fast.  She recommended that I push away from soda and sweets for a week.  Listen, this was a radical proposition to my sweet-loving, hormonal teenage self.  Shoot, sometimes it is a radical proposition to my grown self.  Nevertheless, I decided to give it a try.  And I failed miserably.  I may have only lasted three days before I caved in to a Snickers bar that was harassing me and calling me by name while I was in the checkout line at the grocery store.  I was so ashamed.  I did not tell her that I failed.  I straight up lied and told her that I made it through.  Do not judge me.  Judge your mama.

I had so much growing to do in that area of my life.  If you have read many of my blogs, you know that food is a hot button issue for me.  It is a comfort.  It is a familiar friend that I call on.  I use it to celebrate when life is awesome and soothe me when I am feeling down.  Saying that my relationship with food is unhealthy is an understatement.  And yet, in 2020 I find myself pushing away the plate to get in God’s face.

Before Lent started this year, I felt God tugging on my heart to do a Daniel fast for Lent.  A Daniel fast?!  You mean only eating vegetables and fruit for 40 days?  Come on now, Lord.  I thought we were better than that.  Man, I wrestled with that thought until I finally gave in.  I’m so glad I did.  COVID-19 exploded during my fast.  Listen, if there was ever a time to be in God’s face, 2020 is it.  I made it through that fast.  I came out on the other side better.

Then my real dilemma started.  I needed to make fasting a consistent part of my life.  Not just a once a year occurrence.  Bible Study Cousin challenged me to fast monthly.  Baby, my flesh rose up so quickly.  It did not take all that.  Finally, I realized that it did.  So, I surrendered to prioritizing fasting in my life.

I cannot lie.  It has been difficult.  But 2020 has been difficult as a whole.  I am grateful for growth, and the opportunity to mature with grace.  I will let you know how this fasting thing turns out.  #wepreach