I am back from camping with our family and we had a great time. Going off the electronic grid was exercising muscles of self-control that I have not exercised in many months. I did not take my computer out of its case until yesterday, and for the most part we spent three days not knowing what time it was. I feel refreshed (and ready to plug back in)
This lesson helps me today, as I begin a new goal of fasting on Thursdays. I have challenged our church for the next 30 days to fast one day, one meal, or one thing. Why does fasting work? There are a plethora of answers for this, but I think the simplest comes down to two truths:
- I have a limited amount of attention. Even with our growing ability to multi-task our lives, we have a very limited amount of time and energy. When I force myself not to focus on the thing I am fasting (food, tv, computer) I am allowing more time and energy to focus on prayer.
- God created it that way. Fasting comes under the same category as “why do we have two arms instead of four” (four arms would have been helpful while camping with kids). Because God created it that way.
- Matthew 6:16-18
- 16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.