Fasting

Remember when I said I didn't realize I had an idolatry problem until I starting reading the Idleman? 

If you'd asked me at the beginning what my idols were, I would have sheepishly guessed romance or marriage or my students' opinion of me. 

I never would have guess the one that, once mentioned, hit me right in the gut: 

Food. 

Yes, the moderately active, healthy body weight, fairly healthy/regular eater 22 year old discovered she's been bowing down to the god of food. 

Here are the questions asked of me: 

"How often do we try to treat a troubled soul as if it were a growling stomach? 

Have you found that nothing is better at the end of a long day than the Blue Bell Pralines and Cream ice cream? 

Do you eat more for pleasure or for nourishment? 

When and why do you overindulge? 

How often do you buy into the concept of comfort food? 

Do you use food as a salve for daily wounds? 

How much time do you spend thinking about food? 

Would you be willing to try a fast?"

When I answered these questions honestly, I didn't like the answers. 

Writes Kyle about comfort food, "But think about this: Comforter is what God calls himself. He is the God of all comfort and he is ready to talk with you about your day. The Prince of Peace waits to give you his gifts and strengthen you. He wants to be your satisfaction". 

As with all idols, good food is meant to be enjoyed; however when the object replaces the one who provided it, then we have a problem. 

So today, I fasted*. I had more time to rest. More time to read. More time to worship my Jesus on the guitar. More reminders to pray for my kids. 

Tonight at work there was a staff meeting/farewell party still going on as I finished my last class. I was invited by all to come and partake in pizza and cake. Jesus warned against being public about your fasting(I did tell Elizabeth because she is my roommate and she needs to know things like this) so I just said, no thank you. 

But you see, in our world, more people worship food than they'd care to admit. Because my coworkers couldn't understand why I wouldn't want any. I tried to just say I wasn't eating junk, but they wouldn't have it: 

You work hard

A little won't hurt 

You don't need to worry about your weight. 

There's plenty 

We all ate it 

It's a party

You deserve it

It's just fun 

We use food as rewards, as stress relief, as modes of control, as cures for boredom, and you name it. 

At what cost? 

I gained more Christ in exchange for some oatmeal, a salad, an apple, pizza and cake. 

I  thankful today 

1. For the bread of life, Jesus

2. For frost on my car! 

3. For prayer at our small Bible study this morning

4. For the barista at Zoka at 6am on Thursdays. She is seriously great. 

5. For early Christmas gifts. Thanks, mom for the guitar stand. 

Last thoughts from Idleman on food

"Nothing tastes better than the joy of satisfaction of knowing Christ. Nothing nourishes the soul as he does. Nothing feeds and strengthens and renews us like the time we spend with him each day. 

He bids us to take and eat. He bids us to come to the well where he offers living water, so that we never thirst again"

*If you are interested in learning more on biblical fasting, I would recommend John Piper's book, A Hunger for God. It is available as a free PDF on desiringgod.com under "resources".