Day Four = What am I Missing?

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. (Luke 17:33)

At times, you may begin to feel like you’re missing out on things. If you are fasting TV, you’re perhaps missing out on what is happening on your favorite show or if fasting sweets and mama just made your favorite cookies you may be asking “what do they taste like?” The truth is that with fasting you will be missing out on things otherwise it wouldn’t be a sacrifice.

Jesus once asked “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36) Keep your focus throughout the fast on the idea that what you are fasting for is greater than what your fast is costing you. If we look closer at the words of Jesus found in Mark we will find Jesus calling his people unto Him. He is telling them to forsake everything else for His cause.

As we fast, we are with intent and purpose forsaking our flesh; denying our physical body in order to take up Christ’s cause. If we allow our focus to shift from what we are to gain, into what we are losing; we may be defeated not only in this fast, but the scripture above tells us we may also lose our entire soul. Time after time in the world that we live in we see people grasping and tugging for more things, for higher ranking, for greater social status. Many interviews reveal that our world’s greatest Icons find an insatiable hole they cannot fill.

As Christians we know in our minds that the emptiness which is being filled with the “Stuff” of the world will be a hunger never fully satisfied. In our minds we know that the only true satisfaction can come through our relationship with Jesus Christ. The difficulty is that our spiritual mind is in constant battle with our physical human nature. This is why intentional denying of the flesh in a time purposed for growing closer in relationship to our Lord is so vital. So as we press on in our fast if you find yourself frustrated, hungry, or jealous of the world shift your focus. Take your mind off of your sacrifice. Let us go forward in our fast feeling confident in our sacrifices not looking behind us at what we have given up, but rather looking forward feeling proud of what we have gained.

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