A "Fast" Answer

Matthew 6:16 (New International Version)

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

Basically, if we are fasting we shouldn’t run around with a megaphone, yelling, “LOOK AT ME! I’m fasting!!” But I’m kinda going to bend the rules here, because I can’t help sharing.

I know that my non-Christian friends that read this might have some questions about fasting, so I’ll share why I’ve recently made this an infrequent discipline in my life. [“Infrequent discipline”–sounds like an oxymoron, and that makes me giggle] With so much change and upheaval in my life, there have been a few times where my head gets chaotically full of ideas and plans and contingencies. I can barely focus on what needs to be done, and prayer becomes a joke, a constant battle to even remember I’m praying.

Then God brought a man into my life who led by example, fasting when he had an important decision to make. Since watching him, I’ve fasted from a circumstance/situation once, and food twice.

The purpose of fasting, as I understand it and use it in my life, is this: every time a thought/desire surfaces about what I’ve given up, it’s a reminder to pray again about what’s on my heart. I’m a wimp, however, so only do a liquid diet from sunrise to sunset. And boy howdy, was dinner great tonight!!

All that to preface–I have to share an amazing thing that happened today. If you’re still here, that is. 🙂

I was fasting specifically about the sale of the house. It’s been on the market for nine months and we’ve had very few lookers. The large mortgage hangs around my neck like an albatross, and it’s been discouraging. Logically, I know the market is not fantastic, and an even smaller section of the pool is looking for anything in our price range. Emotionally, it’s hard to hold onto hope that it will sell and I’ll be able to move on with my life.

So what do you know … long about 3:30 a Realtor calls and makes an appointment to show the house. On Friday. Which is the day that two other people are fasting about the house selling!

Not to put any pressure on the lookers, but the mere fact that SOMEONE is coming to look at the place gives me such hope. It was as if God reached down and patted me on the back. “Nice focus, Christina. Keep up the good work!”

What a treasure to see Him concretely and intimately involved in my everyday life.