Bearing our Cross

It seems to me that fasting is often practiced out of Biblical context. In class we spent a few minutes discussing how people fast during Lent. We fast from sweets, from facebook, from TV, or something else that is usually beneficial for us. And while we fast, we have such a hard time keeping it between ourselves and God. Part of us wants other people to know that we are making a "sacrifice" and think good of us. Fasting during Lent has become in large a selfish practice, not about God at all. In Isaiah 58, the people are wondering why God is counting their fasting as nothing. It's because they weren't living a fasting life. It really helped me understand fasting better to hear that fasting is a fast from sin. If while we are fasting from food our behavior is less than acceptable, of course we aren't getting anywhere. Fasting isn't an easy practice to grow closer to God. It is us participating in Christ's suffering, by far only a minuscule representation.

The connection between fasting and prayer was really prevalent for me the past couple of weeks. It felt as though I had focused on prayer last week, and now this week added fasting and focused on both. Fasting without prayer is a set up for failure. It wasn't easy to fast. It was especially helpful to have others fasting as well so that we could keep each other accountable. I hope to be able to fast on my own, keeping it between myself and God as I attempt to practice fasting more.

I have found it a blessing and a struggle to fast. Participating in Christ's suffering is such an important part in our Spiritual growth and helps us understand so much more what we have been given and how much we don't deserve it. Fasting should encourage us to focus on God and others, relinquishing our selfishness.

"Jesus has many lovers of His kingdom of heaven, but he has few bearers of His Cross. Many desire His consolation, but few desire His tribulation. He finds many comrades in eating and drinking, but He finds few hands who will be with Him in His abstinence and fasting...But those who love Jesus purely for Himself, and not for their own profit or convenience, bless Him as heartily in temptation and tribulation and in all other adversities as they do in time of consolation. And if He never sent them consolation, they would still bless and praise Him."
--Thomas a Kempis