Interested in a spending fast with me? Let’s hear the rest of Jen’s intro and chat:
“If you have ever wondered what God really cares about, let Isaiah 58 be your guidepost.
If our lives are marked by gossip and slander and apathy and neglect of the poor, we can just skip all the outward disciplines and save God the energy.
He is stunningly concerned with the marginalized, and He is always, always burrowing deeply into our hearts, our motives, the way we think, the reasons we move…
Jesus had three sentences to say about fasting in Matthew 6:16-18.
‘When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.’
Jesus did not throw out fasting. He assumes we are fasting. He called for reform and got at the heart of the matter…
There is something valuable about fasting. Jesus knew it.
This is for us.
This matters.
This is worth keeping…
A fast creates margin for God to move.
If we can set our defensiveness aside and take Jesus at His word, He is pointing out our blind spot.
We’re a double-edged sword, privileged believers, because we are so incredibly resourced with the potential to battle disparity, but those same resources trap and entangle us…
Meanwhile the suffering happening on our watch is a tragedy while we hold all the cards.
If excess is at the root of the problem, then let’s fast from it…
God did not invite me into this fast to condemn me; it was to liberate me…
Jesus was gentle, even in the midst of heavy deconstruction….
It is supremely important to get your head on right before a fast. Take as long as you need to work this out with Jesus. This doesn’t mean you have all your junk together…hardly!
You can come a hot mess like we all are, but come for Jesus.
Come for transformation.
Come for worship.
Come humble and honest, open and listening.
Don’t feel this way yet? Pray for it!
Put it all out there.
Jesus can handle every bit of your honesty.”
What are you thinking? Are you interested in fasting from excess?
Is it Spending for you? Do you look at your bank statement and not like what you see?
Or is it Media? Do you feel enslaved to the internet? Or your phone? Or even good stuff like podcasts or sermons? Do you need more quiet in your life?
How about Complaining? He’s been talking to me lately about the source of my complaints: the rights I think I have (but don’t). I really, really want to do some sort of word fast…hey, my people! Help me?
What about Possessions? If you’re like our family, we get the Purge Bug this time of year as we spring clean. What about researching ministries in your city to give to instead of having a garage sale? Or if you have a sale, let the proceeds go toward someone’s adoption fund or mission trip or a neighbor’s need. Ask your friends who are far from God if they know of needs. I would venture to guess they do. Ask your small group if they want to join you!
Did the Food thing strike a chord in your heart? Do you want to change one little habit? Or overhaul a few big habits?
A while back I mentioned Waste. Have you thought about that some? Want to dive in there?
If you do feel God leading you this way, you’ll probably need some accountability and encouragement. It’s tough to do most things alone. But especially this.
If you’re a wife like me, you should probably chat with your man first, too. Remember we’re not their bosses. Pray together and listen to their feedback. They tend to know us better than we think they do and they can have such insight into our motives, pressures and fears. For something like this my man is good at helping me stay balanced when I tend to fall into my performance issues.
Okay, let’s do business with Jesus. He is worth everything.
(Oh, and be prepared for a lot of money talk on here!)