A Purposeful Fast

Through the past few months, fasting different things almost nonstop, I've learned to pray in the time that I would normally do the thing I'm fasting.  Before this school year, I never really knew why exactly we fasted except that Jesus and others in the Bible did it.  I've been fasting McDonalds now for about a month, did the 3 day Harvest Cry fast, fasted facebook and for a few days trying to work on not complaining, critizing, or something else.

In this time, I realize that I complain a lot and that temptation from that can be a huge thing.  I learned that confessing that can make me more free.  Last class we learned about confession.  That really helped me out this year because, there have been things in my past that I haven't been completely proud of.  I've talked to different people about different things, confessing what I think I did wrong or thought wrong.  Confession can bring out the best for us.  It brings out trust, honesty and integrity.  Along with that may go temptation.  Something huge that I learned from Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren is that the devil tempts us when we are sort of doing well.  If we were already on his side, there wouldn't be much temptation.  Therefore when we are being tempted and know it's the devil, that gives us the perfect opportunity to do the complete opposite.  That teaches us too that temptation is really a compliment.  Temptation is a sign that Satan hates us because we aren't doing his evil will in that area.

In making my fast purposeful, I've been praying for than ever, not really about the temptation to use facebook but to pray for more important things such as ministry opportunities, schoolwork, jobs, etc.  Either way in the time of fasting, I've learned to trust God with my heart, knowing that he will take care of the things I may fear.  This is definately a purposeful fast for me. :)




Caitlyn A. Inman
GMC student/Worship Intern '10-11
Elevate Leadership Ministry School
Freedom Valley Worship Center