Fasting - Day 4

I'm feeling hunger pangs still today. My mood is much better. Is it the devotional I read and wrote a book review about? Did going to Bible Study last night help get rid of the funk of yesterday? Is it that the fast is making me more in tune with God? Or is it just a new day? I don't know. I really don't.

I'm trying to make sure that I'm not testing God through this fast. I'm not trying to get Him to give me some big revelation. I'm not trying to "unlock" some power as some authors seem to promise from fasting. I'm trying to de-clutter my thoughts so that I can understand and hear. Will fasting do that? Seems that it can. But my guess is it doesn't always.

I am hungry. To be really honest, I was hoping to hear about that appointment I think I told you about where I'd eat today. That hasn't happened. I do have an appointment on Monday morning though. I'll eat before that. I'm going to an awards dinner on Friday. I'll eat there.

The weird taste is still there. I am truly amazed that there is almost no discomfort. My stomach growls. I ignore it. I have no headache to speak of, an occasional light brown one. I am not grouchy like when I am in an involuntary fast! It has gotten colder outside. I'm feeling colder. As I recall the last time I fasted for several days, feeling cold was one of my side-effects. - That was during the warm months of summer. I don't know if I am cold today because of the fast or the temperature - which dropped 20 - 30 degrees since yesterday!

I'm wondering if I will reap the benefits of fasting sometime in the future. Perhaps having blog-posts for several days is a benefit or even the benefit. I really don't know the purpose of this. I know it is biblical. Jesus said when you fast, not IF you fast. His assumption was that we would. I don't think it is a "requirement" because a lot of people cannot do a complete food fast for health reasons - unless they have the faith to do it anyway - and I'm sure there are people with that faith.

I suppose I'm still trying to figure out the benefits of fasting. Maybe that in itself is another way of attaching strings to my prayer. I haven't felt that this fasting time has been more prayerful than without it. I just hope that it is pleasing to God, even if it is not a very good fast. - What is the definition of good fast? Who knows?

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