7: Mutiny against FOOD

Today I am thankful for Jen Hatmaker, because I can see why God chose her to write this book.  Or maybe I should say, I can see why God did not choose ME to write this book.  Jen is funny, she has good friends, she’s a bit of a loose cannon at times, and she knows where to put commas and semi-colons.  She’s a great choice for the author of this book, and I’m thankful for her.  I’m a rule follower, and no one wants to buy a book written by a rule follower.  Rule followers are boring.  But even rule followers like to talk, so here’s my story.

I really, really wanted my husband to do these fasts with me.  I even thought God gave me the perfect idea about fast number 3 to get him interested, but no.  And, “No,” is what he told me.  So, since he wasn’t going to do it with me, it just didn’t make sense for me to stick to Jen’s model of seven foods, because there was no way I could cook one meal with my seven items, and then cook another delicious meal for the rest of the family, so I just decided to fast lunch for seven days, that way it wouldn’t affect anyone but me.

So, day 2 into the fast wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.  But I did have to keep myself occupied, and out of the KITCHEN.  First lesson when you are giving up food….stay clear of the kitchen.  Second lesson….stay busy.  My bathroom got a lot of attention that day, and the laundry is getting attention today.  I admit, though, I was watching the clock all day yesterday, counting down the hours until I could eat, and when it came down to the last hour, I was excited.  Then I felt a heavy presence around me, and I felt the need to pray when this verse came to mind, “Couldn’t you keep watch with me for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (This is really half parts of two verses, Matthew 26: 40b-41a.)  Strangely enough, my temptation was not to eat, or even sleep like it was for the disciples. (Although, I did both in the short 15 minute power nap I took earlier.  I was like Eve's daughter when I took a bite of that cookie in my dream.)  My temptation was to not pray.  And praying at that time wasn’t easy.  Not because I didn’t want to pray, I did, but I felt like forces unseen were trying to prevent me from praying.  Wanna know what I felt the Lord was asking me to pray about?...  the ladies in our group, doing this fast.  I prayed that those who believed the lies, “I don’t HAVE to fast,” and “I CAN’T fast,” would hear the truth, and that God would draw near to them, and meet them at their need, that His love would pour over them, and He would allow them to draw near to Him.  And even though I had to leave and pick my son up from school, I still felt called to pray this prayer for nearly the whole hour.

So this brings me to what I feel like God is teaching me through this fast.  ENDURANCE.  I think He is showing me how to press through the hard times, not only of not eating, but more importantly how to pray fervently, when the enemy doesn’t want me to pray.  I’m humbled. And I am excited about what God is going to do through this time of fasting in the lives of these ladies.