Today I realized that in the beginning of this blog I posted reasons to fast, and along the way I've mentioned 100 times that fasting is hard, but I never talked about preparation.
It's really hard to jump into a fast and do it right without prepping first. I'm sure everyone has heard at church sayings like "let us prepare our hearts and our minds for worshipping the Lord." It's the same with fasting. We have to open ourselves up, in more ways than one. So here are a few tips if you plan on fasting in the future:
1. Preparing your mind
Make sure that you are serious about your fast. Are you doing it for the right reasons? Are you committed to it?
One way to really prepare your mind is to talk about your plans with other people- it's great to find an accountability partner that you can talk to before, and during your fast. Your fast shouldn't necesarily be a rash decision- it should be thought and planned out.
Another thing to prep for is the temptations- reading scripture about fasting is really good for this. Especially when Jesus is tempted by the devil in the wilderness. One of the things that strikes me the most is when the devil says, "hey, you're the son of God. You can turn this stone into bread." and Jesus responds that Man doesn't live on bread alone, but by the Word of God.
What's really cool about this scenario is that during your fast its not that food isn't available- fasting is a choice. It's a way to devote yourself further to God and focus more on his Word- to empty out your body of worldly things that control you and fill yourself up with the right kind of control.
2. Preparing your soul
We have to be available to God. Preparing our soul means allowing the holy spirit to guide us. A good way to do this is praying for your fast beforehand. Asking God to help you find direction and strength through him while you fast. It's a great idea to ask people to pray over you as well- prayer is strong.
3. Preparing your body
People don't usually think about this, but the right diet beforehand can help you in your fast to be able to concentrate much better.
You have to realize that some food habits can't be dropped cold turkey.
I take an entire week to prepare my diet before I fast. I ween myself off of as much sugar, caffeine, and even salt as I can before I start. It's best to slowly drink things that arn't high in any of these to prepare for just water. If you're used to a lot of sugar or caffeine- obviously, you're going to be really really tired and even have a headache during your fast. If you suddenly drop salt from your diet, your blood pressure will drop and you'll be really lethargic.
the other thing to realize is that overeating before a fast actually hurts you. It causes your metabolism to increase, even if you're just doing 24 hours, so by dinner the next day you'll feel awful. Limiting your portions beforehand is a great way to slow your metabolism so that you don't drastically change your eating habits by starting to fast.
So, small portions of bland foods and drinks are best. If not, you are really going to struggle when you try to go off it. Withdrawal is awful. And it can turn your concentration to your body instead of inward to God.
4. Know your body's limitations
If you're signed up for a 5k over the weekend, it's not the best idea to fast. Understand that your diet change is going to leave your body feeling slightly empty, and pushing it isn't good. Also, if you're under 18, you are probably still growing, and I wouldn't recommend doing a fast for more than 24 hours unless you are eating something still. When you plan when to fast, then, make sure you clear your schedule of strenuous things. Anyhow, it's your focus on God time.
I hope this breakdown helps you all think a little bit more about what you're signing onto, and that (lame teacher moment) preparation is the key to success!
day 16- apple, tomato soup, yellow curry vegetables
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