Ben's Bread

So, fasting, huh? This discipline assignment was a set up from God. I did the 30 Hour Famine last December at my church in Colorado, and the recent national date for it was the weekend we had our SOBA spiritual disciplines assignment (we each took a chapter from "Celebration of Disciplines" and had to practice it). I wanted to do the 30 Hour Famine fast again, but really didn't have the motivation. When I went to class that Friday and was handed my discipline book, fasting was the chapter I opened. I immediately thought. “Oh man, I'm gonna end up getting that. Bummer.” I did get it, but not as a bummer. I enjoyed the fast and the realization of how much more focus I can be putting on God. I really enjoy learning these things about God! It is so awesome how he can bless us with gifts, and even work His glory through giving up something.

I have found that almost every area of normal life can serve as a distraction to hearing God's voice, and that goes for food too. Focus is very hard to obtain in this modern lifestyle with cell phones, internet, fast food, billboards everywhere, music on the radio everywhere you go, and the constant allure of entertainment. But in order to hear God, many times we need to remove distractions so that we can focus on Him. And that is what fasting does. For me, not thinking about food frees a large part of my day to focus on God, and every time I feel hungry, or see food, I am reminded that I am sacrificing for God, which pulls me into worship and focus on His voice. Pretty cool how going without a comfort can actually tune in your spiritual senses. While fasting from food really helps me focus, other areas of life also distract me constantly. Basically, anything that I do often, and decide to give up in order to hear God, will focus my attention. That thing I give up really just makes more time and serves as a reminder that God wants to speak to me.

In the Bible, major things have happened when people fasted. The Jews in Media/Persia fasted while Esther went into the king. And God worked wonders, saving his people from the plot to kill them. These things can still happen. Once when France was threatening to invade Britain, the king set up a country-wide fast. The whole country came together to worship God and pray, and France didn't invade. So fasting also opens the door to God answering prayers when you are praying earnestly for God to do something.