I’m sitting in my office eating a tangerine. It’s citrus flavor is bright on my tongue this frigid winter day but what I really want is a warm cup of hot chocolate or the jar of Nutella in my desk snack drawer. I’m fighting the craving to eat right now and trying to consume this sacred opportunity to crave God instead.
It’s Thursday and quite frankly, this week has been long and full. School started back for my kiddos and we’ve had our share of tears this week. My girls switched tables at four year old preschool this week and this morning my Adeline said, “Mommy, will you please walk me in? I’m scared.” Ridley, our sweet eleven month old, also moved up to a new class and while he can’t speak, his reach for me as I dropped him off this morning just about did me in.
The Weather Channel app on my phone says that is feels like 12 degrees right now in Alabama. For this warm weather family, that’s cold. But still, after breakfast I donned my rain boots and favorite sweatshirt and walked a circle around my house this morning to pray for my family, myself, my friends, and this day.
Please don’t consider me a saint or a devoted person. I’m hungry, both physically and emotionally and I need God to give me manna to fuel my day. I need his help, guidance and love so I can help, guide, and love my people.
Right now, I feel a lot of responsibility resting on my shoulders between planning a women’s conference for over 1,000 women and guiding around 2,000 women through 21 days of prayer as we begin the New Year. My heart is pouring out for these 3,000 but it has to remain focused on the three little ones that are my most important responsibility.
Fasting helps me to slow down when life gets busy. It forces me to prepare my own food and make a choice. It gives me a headache and I give my pain to God (and two Tylenol’s). Fasting is helping me to commune with Jesus as we prepare our hearts to meet him for twenty one days and on February 6-7. Fasting takes the responsibility of these tasks off of me and on to Him.
*More than any other discipline in our pursuit of Christ-like living, fasting reveals the things that controls us. Mamas, do you ever find this world of responsibility, work, and activity controlling you? We have to slow down and prepare adequate time to adore God and thank Him for all He’s given us.
In her book, Every Bitter Thing is Sweet, Sara Hagerty says, “I let adoration fill the gap between when God wildly meets my hunger and when hunger just feels like an empty cry for help.”
Yes.
Let’s hunger for God.
Together.
I’ve got one slice of my tangerine left. I pop it in my mouth and chew slowly. I can taste and know that yes, He is good.
Question: Have you ever tried fasting? How has it helped you draw closer to God?
*The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.
For resources on fasting, visit this post on starting a Daniel Fast.
For the record, I’m choosing to avoid bad carbs, starchy foods, and sweets for 21 days. Yeah, it’s kinda like a diet and while it is helping to detox my body from my Christmas splurges, it is also detoxing my mind. So for me, it’s a win-win to be healthier this New Year.
If you’d like to learn more about our New Year’s Prayer Challenge, you can read this post about joining us for the next 21 Days.
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