Afternoon Thoughts:

Truth and Life, the Fast Way

I once had the opportunity to participate in a forty-day fast. Honestly, I felt like I was dying! I'd gaze at people talking to me. Their lips would remind me of two hamburger patties coming together... Fasting is such a powerful practice because it reminds us of the call of Jesus to die to ourselves, to our egos. We experience this death by dying to our primal desire for food. The hunger never goes away, but we learn to replace our desire for food with spiritual food... Spiritual disciplines like fasting, solitude, and meditation create a space in our hearts, a place of inner preparation. These movements help to transform us from idealists to realists. We are called to be hopeful realists who see and recognize the truth about God, ourselves, others, and work. In this inner space we create through the disciplines, we mystically connect more deeply with God and with others. In addition to fasting from food, though, it can be helpful to fast from the things we depend on spiritually and emotionally. My daughter, along with some of her friends, did a three-day "no makeup and no mirrors" fast. Why? They told me that they ... chose this type of a fast to remind themselves that they aren't dependent on the opinions of others for identity or security...  Or have you ever considered fasting from various technological devices, letting go of your dependence on cell phones, recorded music, movies, and computers for a period of time? Eliminating our use of digital technology can also be a way of creating inner space, enabling the Spirit of God to shape us and speak to us apart from the hum of our devices... Take time regularly to fast and listen to God. Find a place to meet him and receive the guidance you need. Soak in the truth. Let him sweep away the lies. Let him expose the illusions in your heart. Make way for a live encounter with the truth, the person of Jesus. Make space in your life for conversations with him. Give him full access to your life. Let him guide and illuminate your path. It is in the presence of his light that we vividly see what's real. The illusions we carry burn away in the fire of his love for us. -Xealots: Defying the Gravity of Normality, by Dave Gibbons