Fasting - Subtraction AND Addition!! Part 1/2
Ecclesiastes 3 says there is a time or season for everything. The holidays are a time for feasting and in turn, the new year naturally brings in a need for fasting. When we understand and practice the balance of Eccl 3, we can enjoy both feasting and fasting without the guilt trips or drudgery. Because I've fully enjoyed the feasting of the holidays, by the time January comes, I'm ready to fully enjoy the fasting time. It has become our custom as a family to fast at the beginning of the new year, and at various times throughout the year. We love the benefits and have experimented with several types of fasting.
The biggest benefit of all types of fasting is clarity and stronger relationships. If you are fasting for health, you'll have clarity and healing in your mind and body (see Part 2). If you are fasting from media, take that time to focus on your life. You'll have clarity in discovering which direction or road to take. If you're fasting for spiritual reasons, you'll gain a closer relationship with God.
There is an infinite number of ways to fast. This year my family and I are fasting from desserts and eating more simply. Also, we are fasting from media from 8pm to 10pm throughout the seven day fast. Yes, we are subtracting some things in our fast, but we are also adding some things to enhance the fast.
For example, instead of watching media during the 8-10pm time frame, we came together as a family and talked about our individual and collective goals. Another night, Bill and I spent that time frame reconnecting with each other. We have been gone on vacation over the Christmas break and have been busy sightseeing, and visiting with extended family members, and had little time for just the two of us. A third night, I did soaking prayer and received an answer to a question that I had, which turned out to be a blessing to the whole family.
There are a lot of things you could add during this media blackout time. You could play outdoor or board games as a family, do a puzzle, declutter a hot spot in your house, start brainstorming for your next book, song, play, invention, adventure, etc. Or, for you busy mom's take a bath and just Be. The point is that we are adding something positive into our life that bring blessings without feeling deprived. We are realigning and rebooting for clarity and stronger relationships with God, others, and ourselves.
Sometimes we overlook fasts that would be very beneficial, such as fasting from self-hate, negative thinking, worry, and the ditches of being a door mat or bulldozer personality. Take those two hours of media blackout time to ADD in words of self-love, positive thinking, gratitude, and getting out of the ditches and learn how to speak the truth in love.
In the Bible, all 28 verses relating to fasting boil down to God wanting a relationship with His children, and His children passing that blessing on to others. God is all about the circle of blessing, and fasting is one more tool to use to bring about that blessing. So at the end of the day, fasting may be a form of subtraction and addition, however, the outcome is multiplied favor.
May you discover the deeper benefits of fasting, so that you will be rebooted with greater clarity and better relationships, that will bless you and others In Jesus Name!