I am going on my 3rd and final week of my church’s spiritual 21 day fast. The purpose and focus of the fast is to eliminate things that are of temptation and/or distraction to your life that take away from the things that are truly important in your life, and replace those temptations and distractions with scripture.
My major temptation is anything sugary (juice, sweets) and my distraction is social media. As I have done a church fast in the past I always took away the temptation of sweets/juice out during my fast and replaced with drinking water. This time around, being more mature and wiser, I do that again but for the means to represent purifying my body of those toxins.
With social media, I have definitely set back on, not being drawn into what other things are posted and losing focus with what’s going on around me. I do have to use social media with my job having to post weekly updates, but I will not use that as an excuse.
With me being AWARE of my own temptations/distractions during this fast, it has caused me to be SOOOOO much more connected to what I should be doing, reading more scripture, spending more time with my family, talking more to God and having God speak to me on what His will is for me. With those distractions/temptations, it can get LOUD and you miss what God is trying to tell you UNLESS you refuse to be get drawn in!
I have had many temptations around me in these past 2 weeks, cupcakes, lemon zucchini frosted bread, chocolate, you name it, being offered, or simply just there in front of me. The urge was there, but the strength to say no was even stronger. With the strength I have built this far, I continue to feel great! I have lost over 4lbs since January 7th. Although I am happy with those results thus far, that is not where my joy is, my joy is that I made time to do better for myself overall. To find more balance in my life and draw closer to God.
Looking forward to this upcoming week!