Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Chapter 4-Discipline of Fasting

A word about this project.  If you are just now joining me on this journey, I would like to make it very clear that this blog is not a platform for me to herald my great devotion and outstanding virtues as a Christian minister.  The entire purpose of this work is to share with others my personal experiences and feelings about the classic disciplines.  My goal is to help us all understand how a disciplined devotion can draw us closer to our God.

I have just learned in the last many months that eating can be enjoyed.  I have always eaten as though my life depended upon it.  I don't mean eating in general, but eating this meal right now is the most important thing in the world.  I have always eaten like I grew up in the Great Depression.  Every morsel was taken in as if there might not be another meal.  While I have known times of want, I can't ever remember going without.  Even with that in mind, I have always eaten as if the goal were to consume as many calories as possible.

Recently, I discovered that I could eat until "full" and everything would be OK.  For most of my life, leaving the table meant a feeling of "overeating."  I have lost about 18 pounds recently just by stopping when I am full.

How is it that so many of us find comfort in food?  I would eat when depressed.  I would eat to show I could eat "that" much.  I would eat when the food was bad.  I would eat and eat and eat.

I am looking forward to the discipline of fasting.  I think I am going to do a 24 hour fast and 36 hour fast during the next week.  I will let you know more tomorrow.  I'm going to look for a Twinkie.

1 comment:

  1. Enjoy your fasting my friend. Thanks for reminding me of the virtue of smaller portions.

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