Fasting

So, the past three weeks I have been on a general fast with my church,
to do different fasts in different ways (whatever God was putting on
our hearts to do at the time). In that time I fasted food completely
for 3 days, facebook and twitter all 3 weeks, fast food a week, all
secular music, caffienated drinks, and sugar for over a week, and tv
watching out of having nothing else to do for about the whole three
weeks.
Overall, I would think it was a successful fast. In this time I got
closer to God and learned a lot, but, sadly, drifted from Him at
times. I learned that first and foremost, getting to know God at a
deeper and more intimate level is the most important mission and cause
we have in life. I talked about our Cause in my last blog. So, at the
beginning of this fast I set out to begin accomplishing this Cause.
It was hard, and, truthfully, at times i failed. I'm human, and I know
that the point of fasting isn't a religious one, it's a Cause one.
Jesus fasted food and water for 40 days and 40 nights and i couldn't
last a complete 3 weeks without listening to Mutemath or drinking a Dr
Pepper? It's quite sad the weaknesses we succumb to.
I've come to the realization that fasting is one of those things that
has multiple purposes. It's not only the perfect time to delve into
the Cause, but if we promise God we're going to do it, it's a time of
testing ourselves. It's a time to strengthen ourselves and learn how
to keep our promises to God. In these three weeks I broke some of my
promises to God. Not huge things, but they were still things I told
God I was going to be strong against. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 says. "When
you make a vow (promise) to God, do not delay to keep it; for He has
no pleasure in fools. Do what you have vowed. It is better to not vow
than to vow and not keep it. Don't let your mouth cause your flesh to
sin, or say that making the promise was a mistake...."...there's no
excuses.
So in this testing of my heart, did I pass? Yes and no in different
areas. But, I learned something else during this fast: mercy is true
goodness that God extends to us when we deserve punishment. I thank
God for being merciful, because i surely dont deserve His goodness.
So, having this knowledge, next time I fast will I be more determined
to keep my word to the fullest just as God always has in my life? Most
definitely!
This blog isn't to encourage you to fast, it's to encourage you to be
more responsible to the promises you make to God, because, really, has
He ever made a promise to you He hasn't kept or isn't keeping? No!
Be blessed! Determine life to be a Cause!
Jess Von D