I figured it would be a good start to just explain why I'm doing this whole thing in the first place. :)

My sister Desiree (her blog is desireesurrendered.blogspot.com ) is on a "media fast". It's where you take a certain amount of time--forty days in this case--and take all the time spent watching TV,  creepin on Facebook, whatever it is, and invest that time in reading your bible, prayer, family time, etc. It's something her church is doing as a whole. I didn't think it was a bad when she told me about it at all, but I didn't really see what the real need for it was. Obviously if you're addicted to media, you need to lay off, but I'm not and my spiritual life is just fine, so no need, right?

Well, I went to their church this morning. I've been there a bunch before, and it's a fantastic place. You can tell that the people there love and are hungry for God, not to just "play christian" and then be on autopilot till next Sunday. So I was really looking forward to the message! Well, the pastor gets up there and starts talking about the fast and I'm thinkin' "Oh great. I don't need this fast, so I reckon I'll have to wait till next week to hear a sermon"...God and I obviously weren't on the same page. I guess I was being a little arrogant, who knows. Anyway, I still payed attention to what he was saying and it shocked me when I started to realize this was something that not only could I benefit from as a person, but it would make me closer to God. Believe me when I say I love God. I do. Sometimes I have my days when I don't necessarily FEEL like making any effort and so on, but I'm human and He is patient with me. And sometimes I feel complacent with our relationship and get too comfortable. Which isn't good, it's actually quite dangerous. We can NEVER have enough of God in us. It's impossible. But, and I know i'm not alone, sometimes I think "Okay, God. I'm good right here. I've got all I need and I don't really feel like pushing for more."

That was my opinion on this fast.

BUT...I realize now that everyone could benefit from this.Why? For one thing, when we are zoned out on Facebook or TV, there is no telling what kinds of things are entering our minds. Our minds are being SO passive! That's a breeding ground for impure thoughts, which lead to impure actions, which are obviously sins. Aren't we supposed to be set apart? We've GOT to guard ourselves.

 Beware of being "satisfied"

Also, I think about the times during prayer that I've prayed something along the lines of "God, I want more of You, but I don't really know what to do." Lemme stop right there. God is lacking nothing. HE is what makes us whole. We will never ever eeeeeeeeeeevvvvvveeeerrrrr have the opportunity to say something like "God, I'm just doin all I can, now You do Your part." And if we think we do, think again. That's foolish. He did his part on the cross. Anything hindering us from a closer relationship with God is simply us. He put it all out there for us.

That said, I'm ready for more. I realize that I do not and can not have "enough God". In fact, the more I think about it, I've been starving myself of him. I do pray throughout the day and try to read at night, but that's not the best of what I can give. That's leftovers, and He deserves more. Actually, He deserves everything. So I'm putting my life on surrender mode. I'm not wasting my time anymore, I'm learning more about the One who loves me with incredible passion. 

 You're waking up at what time...?!

One aspect of this fast is going to prayer at 6 am at the church. This is optional of course, but as the pastor said, "You'll get as much out of this as you put into it." So, I intend on giving it my all. I'm gonna mess up ALOT. I can already see it. But that's okay, i'm a work in progress. On a side note, I do think it's a beautiful thing to wake up early in the morning and start your day focused on Him. That's a sacrifice, and I don't think we make enough of those. I'm actually looking forward to starting my days off with the God who decided to wake me up this morning.

Anyways, the main objective of this fast is to fall even more deeply in love with God. I hope this journey might make ya consider your own relationship with Him, and if you've held your hand up to God and said "Stop right there, I'm satisfied and I think I can please you well enough from this distance." Please take a good look at yourself. Don't get arrogant like I was, test yourself against what Scripture says a follower of Christ looks like, not how your friends act. (In a "well at least i'm better than that" way. That's not what God does, He looks at us individually) He thinks about you allllll the time, and loves you more than you can imagine.




PS-Feel free to comment, I'd love to know who's reading. :)