Comments on: Spiritual Discipline: Fasting

By: Tim Dahl

Tim Dahl — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 01:52:49 +0000

I’m with Rev. Michael. I’ve wasted more hours on vid-games than I want to think about. Though, I think a fast from Dr. Pepper might be just as appropriate for me. No matter what, any thing more than 6 hours and I’m looking forward to some nice withdrawal symptoms! Woohoo!

Tim

By: Rev. Michael

Rev. Michael — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:29:59 +0000

I was going to have to bow out of this topic at first. Being hypoglycemic makes fasting tough. It was required for a class in seminary but I couldn’t make it past about 14 hours before the shakes, sweating, and confusion set in.

I was glad you mentioned non-food fasting. A friend taught me about this right after becoming a Christian in college. It was an incredible experience to pick something that was, at the time, very important to me and give it up. At first, I did like you said in simply filling that time period with other stuff. It basically just became a lesson in self control. But as I matured spiritually I finally got the point of giving that time to God. Which at first can be harder than you think. In my younger days back in college it was nothing to play Super Tecmo Bowl on my Super Nintendo with friends for hours! Giving God that straight 2 to 3 hours a day in prayer was impossible. Sad commentary on my Christian walk at the time I know. I could present offerings and worship at the altar of the almighty video game for hours (I am a genuine Gen-Xer) but I couldn’t do that much with my Savior. It was still a wonderful, eye-opening experience. And God did draw me nearer.

I haven’t done that in a while…though I am kinda past video games…mostly…gotta reach the youth. Thanks for the reminder Art.

[maybe i can give up doing dishes and laundry...wonder what my wife will think] “Hey Sweetie?”

By: Art Rogers

Art Rogers — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:17:28 +0000

Ben – good point.

Kevin – Dude, that is hilarious! Kind of…

Bob – Not maybe. Exactly! So wrapped up in God that you fail to eat. Yeah.

By: Bob Cleveland

Bob Cleveland — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:00:17 +0000

I’ve often wondered about this, as I am not good at it, either.

A thought occurred to me the other day. I asked my class if they’d ever been so focused on something, so wrapped up in it, that they didn’t even take time out to eat. They all said they had.

Maybe that’s the missing element. We may view fasting as something else to do, rather than seeing that we’re seldom so involved in our spiritual affairs that we won’t even take time to eat.

I don’t know. Maybe.

By: Kevin Bussey

Kevin Bussey — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 16:41:08 +0000

It is good to come off a fast slowly too! I made the mistake of eating a jalapeño bagel as the first thing I ate coming off a fast. Big mistake!

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:30:16 +0000

Thank you for making the point that fasting can involve more than food. Too often we underestimate the value of removing things within our lives so that we can make more room to be present with our Creator.

When fasting is only equated with food, too many people are excluded and miss the blessing of practicing this discipline.

And in a world that doesn’t know when to stop, fasting is needed more than ever.