Photo by Tim Foster on Unsplash
His t-shirt said, “Do what feels good.”
With only a bit of reflection, this worldview may have some flaws. For example, eating whatever we want whenever we want would feel good – wouldn’t it? But I think my knees would feel rebellious about that mantra if my weight increased without stopping, correlating to food consumption that “feels good.”
No, this worldview doesn’t quite line up with reality.
We all know that short-term joy can lead to long-term pain and vice versa. There must be a wiser worldview than this one. For example, Jesus said, “WHEN (emphasis mine) you fast . . .”
When.
Ouch. I had been a Christian for 30 years, and the time hadn’t seem to have yet come when I needed to fast! I didn’t want to create a bunch of rules about how to live!
Being a REAL Christian is not about ticking off a bunch of boxes!
We have the advantage of being modern, so we know now that the early monks and nuns from centuries ago got a whole BUNCH of theology COMPLETELY wrong!
“Fasting weekly or taking longer fasts sounds like archaic Christianity!” I admonish, crumbs from a half-eaten box of cookies spewing from my mouth. I hear the notifications binging on my phone – just a minute.
Anyway, we know what spirituality REALLY is because we’re moderns.
“Huh? What?” I accidentally spew more crumbs in my effort to talk. Sorry. I gallantly wipe crumbs off your shirt.
“Do you think the early monks and nuns may have gotten some things RIGHT that many of us don’t do today?” I scoff and wait.
“Yes. The monks and nuns fasted regularly,” you continue.
Every time I read my bible and get to the part about Jesus saying that we WILL fast, of course, I feel a pang of guilt.
Why didn’t I fast, anyway?
So, that day, I started fasting.
I decided to start with fasting to sort out some global mishaps. I would pray about Ukraine and Russia – stuff like that.
World-changing stuff.
I put away my cereal and milk for an hour one morning and had a go at fasting and prayer.
And Jesus was pleased.
Me?
I wasn’t so pleased with myself. I fell flat on my face. I was distracted, hungry, and then gave up after half an hour. What’s the point?
Get up, Jesus seemed to be saying, holding out His hand to me. Try again. He gave me a smile and a hug.
How could He be pleased with me?
The following week, another fall, a big, lamentable flail. And the next and the next. Jesus helped me up each time, and His pleasure grew with my impending sense of failure.
The two are not unrelated.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness
Finally, I asked a friend to pray with me, to fast breakfast together, and to encourage one another. He prayed that I could complete this most pathetic of tasks. And I did it.
Not with a conspicuous finish, like a victor, sweeping across the finish line, grabbing the trophy before heading to the winner’s platform.
But more like a worm slithering in the rain, some worm friends encouraging me, “Keep going!”
Photo by Julian Zwengel on Unsplash
Ultimately, I didn’t pray about world peace or anything outside myself.
I prayed, “God, help me to fast breakfast this morning!”
And God was very pleased.
Because I was beginning to realize my need for God to grow spiritually and therefore to live well.
Well done, He said, the Father embracing the teen longing for affirmation.
I became more aware of my understanding of who I am and my feeble state. No, I’m not a bold warrior, with God blessing me so that my superpowers can help solve world crises. I am pathetic and can barely delay my breakfast without His constant help.
And He is pleased with me.
And who will we become as we rely on God to help us to have the strength to learn to pray?
Demons quiver at the thought.
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