40 Day Fast Recap

For the first in my life, ministry, and the church, we tried something different this year, A 40 Day Fast. We started on Feb 25th. We didn’t do the normal water only fast. I borrowed the idea from one of my favorite preachers Pastor John Guns. At the beginning of 2009 his church did a 30 Day Fast with a theme, weekly scheduled meals, prayer times, and scripture readings. I used his concept but extended it to 40 days (Monday thru Friday). I tell you it was hard being committed to the fast.

I remember the day we started the fast. I got up to go to work and as a normal routine, I stopped for a cup of coffee at my favorite donut shop. As my flesh would have it, I was hungry and purchased a glazed donut to go with my coffee. When I got into the office and turned on my computer, I started reading emails and before long was eating the donut with my coffee. Half way thru my breakfast it dawned on me you suppose to be fasting. The 1st week was fruits/vegetables with one meat portion per day. I blew it big time! I gathered myself by praying for forgiveness for my lack of discipline and started over. The rest of the week I stayed with the scheduled fast.

I did pretty good the next couple of weeks but I think it was around week 5 our scheduled fast was fruits and vegetables (only) with natural juices/water. This was a trying week. On that Wednesday, I asked Cheyanne; “How’s it going for the week?” And she said; “Man, it’s been hard this week!” I said to her; “Yes, it has”. I explained to her that it was hard for me because financially I was strapped. I wasn’t able to go to the store and get all I needed to be faithful to the fast. She echoed the same sentiments and asked “what should we do?” I told her, “Do the best you can to remain faithful to the schedule”. She looked at me as if she wanted to say; “Man, can we just forget about it this week?”

My children loved to hold me and Tracy accountable to the fast yet they fought us tooth and nail to not participate. There were times when I got home for work and Tracy would cook one of the best meals only to hear me say; “Remember the fast.”

My Scripture reading went pretty good. I scheduled readings on my task manager in Microsoft Outlook so when I got into work I was alerted to read the chapter for the week (daily). Funny thing, it seemed like every morning I was called into a special meeting. I tried to set my alarm clock to rise 15 minutes earlier to get my read in but kept loosing to the battle of sleep. I then started reading where I could get it in.

My prayer time was real good because I prayed @ 5:30 am while driving to work. I got this idea from Chuck Swindoll. That’s Pastor Swindoll.

Overall, I think I did pretty good but what did I learn from this 40 Day Fast?

- I’ve learned that comfort zones can be dangerous. Many of us are creatures of habit (at least I know I am) and we don’t want nothing to disrupt what we got going on a daily basis. I believe a fast is good to break some of those daily routines. Think about it for a moment, some of our daily routines are unhealthy spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. So to fast helps cleanse us from that which is unhealthy in our lives. The weeks of fruits/vegetable fast were some of my best weeks. I didn’t feel sluggish. I had energy. I rested well. And my face didn’t break out because of all the impurities of some meats, candy, and sodas.

- I acknowledge my weakness. In Matthew 4, Jesus fasted for 40 days/nights without eating anything and before I got started I broke a scheduled fast as soon as I woke up on the first day. Wow! A fast will expose your weaknesses and struggles not matter how long the fast maybe or how strong you think you are.

- It re-affirmed that endurance is a key element to your success. Our fast officially ends on April 21st. And while along the way I may have fell of the wagon, I was determined (am determined) to finish what I started.

- I’ve learned to thank God for small victories or I guess I should say I’m learning to thank God for small victories. I wasn’t a total failure in my efforts in these 40 days. There have been some good changes in my life and ministry due to this fast.

- The struggle is inevitable with the flesh. I don’t eat a lot of sweets nor do I drink a lot of sodas but man, those weeks I couldn’t have it everything lookeded (spelling on purpose for looked) good. I could smell the chocolate, caramel, nuts, and that little creamy stuff in a Snickers bar. I wanted it bad. Be ready for the struggle!

The goal for our fast was to “encourage a greater level of spiritual disciplines as disciples of Jesus Christ”. In many ways I believe that was accomplished in this fast. If for nobody else, I know for me.