My Fasting Experience - week 1

It seems like fasting is something that is largely ignored and not practiced in our American Christianity.  But I think it is time we give it some attention.

To this end, I recently lead our church through a five week Fasting Learning Experience.  We viewed the teaching series produced by Jentezen Franklin, pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia.  Jentezen is a revivalist pentecostal preacher who focuses more on the seeking the Lord than seeking his gifts and blessings.  He regularly fasts and leads his church through periods of prayer and fasting.  Specifically, he leads his church to fast for 21 days at the beginning of every calendar year.

After leading our congregation through five weeks of learning and practicing fasting anywhere from one meal to two full days, I felt lead to engage in a 21 day, water-only fast leading up to Easter.  I started a bit late, so it will end up lasting only 20 days, but it has been quite the experience.

When people first hear about such a radical concept, they immediately ask if I am starving.  Honestly, I am not.  They say that the hunger pains go away after a few days of fasting - and they are right! (thank the Lord!)  Yesterday I went almost all day with no hunger pain.  I do drink lots of water, and I have committed to drinking fruit and vegetables juices if I get weak.

An interesting thought occurred to me last week, about three days into the fast.  I was at a church meeting with our small group leaders, and I realized that while I was not physically hungry, I had a strong desire to eat.  My stomach was not growling, nor was I feeling weak.  But I wanted some food.  While there was no physical desire, I experienced tremendous mental and emotional desire for food.

I really enjoy food!  I like the various tastes of marbled steak, juicy strawberries, hot coffee, BBQ chips, burritos with salsa, bread of any kind slathered with butter, sweet and creamy desserts, and, well, pretty much everything.  It is enjoyable to taste food!  And it feels good to have a full stomach and then to rest and maybe take a quick nap.   Food is comforting!  So you could say that I enjoy both the experience and the effects of eating!  When I think about food, I don't know that I desire the food itself, as much as I desire the pleasure and comfort I get from it!

I think this is one reason fasting is so helpful.  It refocuses our desires.  When Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread, it was a very real temptation.  Having fasted for 40 days, he was no doubt hungry!  But in resisting the temptation he said, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)  I do not want my life to center on eating.  I do not want to find pleasure and comfort in food.  I want to find pleasure and comfort in the God who created the food.  I do not want to live on food.  I want to live on the words of God!  Yes, food is necessary for the human body, but if my body is well nourished and my soul is starving, I am not really living.

So in these few weeks of fasting, I am praying that God will teach me how to feed on his word and to find comfort, pleasure and purpose in him.  I am praying that he will refocus my desire, so that I desire him first and food second.