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Rejoicing in this wonderful day,

The Leadership Team of First Assembly

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Help! I Don't Think I Can Do This!

Rusty hit the nail on the head about our Daniel Fast today. I think everyone is having a rough time today. But I encourage you.... We can make it! If we make it today, we can make it! Hang in there and keep on keeping on!

If this fast was just about doing without it would be called a diet. But this fast is about denying our self things we like and enjoy in order to draw closer to God. There is a reason behind this self-denial.

In our staff meeting this morning, Pastor Clayton made a comment that Rusty said he wanted everyone to hear. So, I will try to remember it word for word. "This fast is not just about denying our selves one thing in order to replace it with another. It is about denying our selves the comfort of food in order to remind ourselves we need more of God." Every time we feel a hunger pain, we should talk to God. Ask Him to reveal Himself to us. Ask Him to show us what needs to be cleaned out in our lives.

God is a very Holy God. He loves us, but cannot tolerate our sin. There are so many things that need to be changed in our lives. I don't want to miss out on what God has for me because I didn't take the time to pray during this fast.

I have to admit, this is tough. It is only day 3 and I'm thinking, "I can't do this!!!!" But I want to do this, because I want to crucify my flesh in a way I never have. I want to experience God in a whole new way! I want to seek Him as I never have before!

I left a little while ago to pick my kids up from school. I wanted so bad to go through the drive-thru and get just one small diet coke. It practically consumed my thoughts. But I pushed through, and began praying - praying for you guys, my family, our church, and what God wants to do through this fast. It wasn't long until that sense of "urgency" for a diet coke disappeared.

So, I'm thinking, whenever I have those "urgencies", I will just press through in prayer. I don't know about you, but I sure am learning to lean more on Jesus in even the smallest of things!

Love you guys! Hang in there! YOU CAN DO IT!
dorinda

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I,too, decided that hunger pains or cravings are the perfect times for extra prayers..Thank you all for the blogs.They are great and help to give a feeling of unity through this..Kay D

LAURIE said...

One of the things that we have been able to do because of this FAST is talk to our kids about the importance and the meaning of fasting. I appreciate that you shared Clayton's comment because sometimes people can get caught up or consumed with "what can I eat?" What can't I eat?" and instead of concentrating on God and listening for His voice, we consume ourselves with the food. Last night before we had devotional time with our kids, one of them made this comment, "everybody at church is talking about the food, I thought a fast wasn't just about food?" Out of the mouths of babes...this comment gave us the opportunity to read in the book of Daniel about Daniel's fast and also it served as a reminder to me that the focus of this Daniel Fast is not about what I eat or not eat but what did I hear from God? did I slow down enough to hear His whisper?

braveslpn said...

So far day three was the hardest for Roy and I. We both got up this morning (day 4)feeling better. When I am eating something (even if it's not as tasty because it doesn't have butter or sugar or wahtever) I just praise God because I know through this fast I am already closer to God than I have been in a long time. And it's only day 4. I am excited. Thanks for all the encouraging words.

LAURIE said...

I finally made something that my kids would eat!! potatoes cooked in olive oil, with green pepper & onion and my favorite... mushrooms. Jordan said we could eat that everynight. So far he has hated everything else we have had.

Anonymous said...

I would like to know if we can have things with citric acid in them. like v-8 juice, tomoatoe juice, etc..,
Carmen Killgore

Beth said...

Carmen,
I think it's ok. I've been buying the organic tomato stuff with the citric acid. As long at the v-8 doesn't have other additives it should be ok. You may want to make your own. Hope this helps.