On Monday our ministry embarked on an exciting journey. Over the next 40 days, parents and students are challenged to enter into an intentional season of fasting and prayer.
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that is often avoided or ignored. Maybe this is because we don’t understand. It could be that we really don’t want to engage in the type of sacrifices that fasting calls us to undertake.
My prayer is that over the next six weeks, our families will be drawn closer to God and each other. As God speaks through periods of time where we go without eating or set aside aspects of our life that we typically enjoy, may the Holy Spirit convict and confront us in our comfortableness.
Fasting pushes us out of our routine and often makes us think about things we often take for granted. During times I have fasted in the past, I have found myself reaching for something to snack on and suddenly remembering my fast. There have even been times I prematurely ended my fast – both intentionally and accidentally – and was reminded of the difficultly of true sacrifice and self-control.
On the other hand, fasting has been a powerful spiritual discipline that I have used – not even close to often enough – in times of decision or discernment. When I was contemplating going to school for ministry, a period of fasting provided clarity and made it possible to hear God more clearly.
As for this current period of fasting, I will be participating in both ways I am advocating. I will be giving up all carbonated beverages for the entire forty-day period. From Monday, January 12, until Friday, February 20, I will not drink any carbonated beverages. I really enjoy drinking pop, and this will be difficult. But every time I think about getting a drink of pop, I will remember Christ’s sacrifice and my call to set my selfish desires aside in an effort to bring forth God’s kingdom in this world.
I will also observe several days of fasting from food during the forty-day period.
Whether you are a part of our LifeStage or not, I challenge you to join us on this journey.
The weekend of February 20-22, our students will be participating in a retreat designed to focus on our connecting with God through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. My prayer is that God will use the forty days leading up to that weekend to prepare their hearts and minds for what He has in store.
Fasting is not meant to be comfortable or convenient. It is a spiritual discipline that calls us to look outside of ourselves and acknowledge Creator God and give more intentional thought to what it means to depend on God as our Provider and Refuge.
shine!
Jason
1 comment:
What a praiseworthy operation. I hope it goes well for you and all involved.
My church was encouraged to fast once for a day because of certain things that were going on, and I chose to abstain from books (one of my favorite things). As it was only one day, it was not at all difficult, but I can imagine how hard 40 days would be!
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