Fasting

It is my general impression that most of us are lacking in the spiritual discipline department. In a society inundated with instant gratification it is easy to understand why the concept of sacrifice is difficult. But how do you get from understanding the obstacles to practicing spiritual disciplines? Why should we even try? What the heck is a spiritual discipline anyways?

Let me back track, when I say "spiritual discipline" I mean a behavior I choose to do as a means to get closer to God and receive His grace. For example: tithing, praying, journaling, reading my Bible, and fasting.

Why should we try to practice spiritual disciplines? They provide opportunities to trust God; chances to see more of His character; the possibility to interact with the living God and be transformed by Him.

What about obstacles? Actually that is why I am writing, I think the obstacles are the barriers we push at in order to see God face to face!

This is what I mean: I find it difficult to fast, but I think it is important for the aforementioned reasons. But lately I have been having an exceedingly difficult time committing to my times of fasting. There were several reasons for this, however I realized that my biggest problem was that I was concentrating on the action of fasting and forgetting the purpose! I took God out of the equation and was consumed by the physical action and subsequent reaction of depriving myself of food. I was so focused on the tangible that I forgot to pray through the sacrifice.

In a moment of clarity I rectified my mistake and prayed for revelation. Realizing that the obstacle was my opportunity to pushing into God. This is an excerpt from my journal:

"I am fasting in preparation for this conference, in anticipation that you will be there in power. With an expectant heart to see you move. Forgetting though that hunger points out my humanness and it is that reminder that should demonstrate the need for you...my hunger, my weakness, my inability to sustain my own needs, my dependence on things of this world, and YOUR ability to sustain me fully with manna from heaven with more then I could ever want. yes, i need food to survive....but I am awful dependent on food as a source of comfort and stability instead of you. I rebuke that behavior! I rebuke my dependence on food! I pray that I can more fully be dependent on you as my source of peace, hope, grace, and truth. I will not make an idol of things of this world. I will remember that YOU are God. You alone are my foundation and nothing about your peace is temporary or fleeting. You are my sustainer of life and I put my trust in you alone. Help me to remember that you are the one who i need to depend on. You are the one that is the giver of life. You are the one who can fill me up and keep me satisfied. What I need daily is not food, by YOU alone!"

And it is on that note that I hope you have the opportunity to push through barriers and meet with God. Don't be afraid of obstacles or sacrifice...they are chances to see God move.

It's been awhile...

I realize that in light of declaring that I would write entries to my book here I have subsequently stopped posting all together. Definitely not my original intent! Therefore, in light of my lack of diligence to post entry for "Ramblings of an Incomplete Idiot" I will just an update on my life in Chicago:-)

Biggest change: I FOUND A CHURCH!!!!!!!!

Since moving to Chicago I have gone to many great churches, but have yet to find a home. That changed when I went to the Newfrontiers church plant, Fusion, (www.realfusion.org). It isn't anything like the type of church I was looking for, but the people are real, they obviously love Jesus, and the are passionate about Chicago...all things considered, I guess they are exactly what I was looking for!

Second, NPU people are back from Winter break and I am excited for a new semester of small group with some amazing ladies:-) Also grateful for the friends that God has provided in this new and strange city.

Things to look forward to in 2009:
-Remembering the promises God has spoken into my life and putting faith into action to take steps to claim those promises...(aka get off my lazy butt, stop complaining and doing something!)
-Growing in new disciplines, (actually being obedient and diligent for more then, what, 4 days)
-Running the Chicago half-marathon in June with Kari, and the full marathon in October with JT
-Making a budget and sticking to it
-Going on new adventures
-Having peace at the prospect of the unknown