WHEN FASTING IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE by Sharleen Kipturu

in Encouragement By Mccuon on 22 Sep 2015

A story is told of a group which committed to fasting every once a week. They would meet in the meeting, each with a confession, whether they had been faithful or not. One day, a brother confessed that he had not fasted that day. Reason? He was not under the law. For the next few days, I battled the desire to eat and just go confess that I too, was not under the law!
I do struggle with beating my flesh during fasting. On the very day I am supposed to be praying and fasting, I ensure that I don’t have any leftover food in my room. It’s called getting rid of the temptation. [The danger with leaving food is that your mind will start telling you how the food will go bad and you will have to throw away and that is not good, and you will want to eat instead of watching it go bad].
And my first prayer in the morning is for God to sustain me. Have you noticed that during this moment, everything is mouthwatering, including the tomatoes that are paraded along Agony Hill? Heck, even the sweets you normally don’t consume in the name of health eating are so inviting that you start convincing yourself that it actually is not food. It’s just a lollipop! And boy, aren’t people generous at such a time. It’s like everyone suddenly noticed you are their friend and they want to buy you something you often don’t eat- worse still is that the offer only lasts for the few hours!
As the day progresses, you feel the desire grow as the time of breaking the fast draws nigh. Sometimes you pray and the pangs increases and they become louder than your voice, at times the prayer feeds you so well, that you extend the hours of fasting. Have u ever felt that?
It is also good to confess to a friend. I was surprised during one of the escortologies, when we got into a conversation with a friend who told me morning is the most challenging time. That when he comes from MD, and all the ingredients are staring at him as if nudging him to just mix them. And it’s good to know because when you know he is ‘up the mountain’, you remember to mention him before God for sustenance.
The wonderful feeling comes when you successfully finish the race. You know pretty well that had it been your strength, you would have given in at 11 am and eaten the lovely bananas you bought the other day. Or the cake your friend told you to have a bite and all of a sudden you forgot that you were fasting. No? Well, you are lucky. I have forgotten severally, and after remembering you feel like throwing yourself away!
God’s grace is sufficient and his mercies endure forever. The next time you pray, remember someone who is fasting and is praying for sustenance. Someone who has eaten halfway through the fast and is feeling terrible. Ask God to strengthen them. And in all situations be careful to thank God.
Have a prayerful week.