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| How to Overcome Your Fear of Fasting [Guest post by Kristen Feola] Posted: 20 Feb 2012 02:45 PM PST
With Lent just around the corner, we're excited to publish this timely guest post from Kristen Feola, author of The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast.
Fasting is a unique opportunity to know God in a deeper way and to hear His voice more clearly. When you fast, you deny yourself food, or certain foods, for a specified period of time as an act of surrender and worship. Those who have participated in this spiritual discipline can testify to experiencing an increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, greater awareness of their dependence on the Lord, and a stronger compulsion to intercede for others.
However, despite the many benefits that fasting offers, many Christians choose not to fast. Although there are a variety of reasons why this is the case, I believe it's mostly because of fear.
Fear can be a crippling emotion, often keeping us from moving forward when the Lord wants us to step out in faith. When it comes to fasting, many believers find themselves in this position – intrigued by the idea but afraid to commit. Unwilling to trust God in this area of their lives, they remain stuck in place, immobilized by their fears. Some of the most common hindrances to fasting are as follows:
Perhaps you can relate. You've heard testimonies of people sharing about the closeness they share with the Lord on a fast. You're familiar with the verses in the Bible on the subject. Yet, you can't get past the anxiety of going without food or certain foods, so you dismiss the whole idea.
It's normal to be afraid when we stand on the horizon of the unknown. However, fear is never a valid excuse for disobedience. In fact, the Lord makes it clear that when are afraid, we should put our trust in him. During times of weakness, he wants us to acknowledge our inadequacy and recognize that he alone is our Source of strength.
The discipline of fasting is mentioned several times throughout the Bible, but one verse in particular shows us that this practice is to be a regular part of our lives. In Matthew 6:16, as Jesus is teaching his disciples on the issue of fasting, he begins with, "When you fast," not "If you fast." His words imply that fasting is not optional for his followers.
How, then, do you deal with the panicky feelings that often accompany a fast?
Fasting is God's invitation for you to draw near to him. The Lord is waiting for you to respond in faith. He wants you to come close so he can show you more about himself, his purposes, and his ways. All you have to do is be willing to set aside your fleshly desires and believe his promise: "For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear; I will help you.'"
You can do it. God is with you, and he will provide all you need to fast and pray in his name. Don't let fear keep you from enjoying this sacred time with your Savior.
About Kristen Feola
(This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer's opinions are their own, and are shared for information purposes only. To receive new blogposts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)
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| Living to Please the Masses or the Maestro? [Excerpt by Dave Gibbons] Posted: 20 Feb 2012 08:19 AM PST
This excerpt from XEALOTS by Dave Gibbons explores the true measure of success. It seems appropriate for this President's Day as we reflect on leadership and greatness. -AF
Who do you live to please?He was the wisest man who ever lived, [and] Jesus worked with his hands as a common laborer for much of his adult life. When he started his official teaching ministry, the guys he chose to roll with were a crew of misfits. Few would have made it through the first round of job applications at most companies today. They did nothing to enhance his status or reputation.
Perhaps the greatest scandal of all, though, was that this man — God incarnate — eventually was brutally beaten, whipped, spat upon, and crucified on a Roman cross. By common standards of success, by the judgment of worldly wisdom, it made no sense. Why would the King of All Kings agree to be executed alongside common criminals? Why would the very definition of success agree to endure such shame? Why would he humbly refuse to retaliate? Why did he choose love over the flexing of military muscle. The way of Jesus was the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Suffering. It was a literal dying to self.
This is not a path any of us would willingly choose. What parent would consider this a successful life for their child? No, this graph is our worst nightmare: starting out in the upper right and heading sharply down and to the left, a graph depicting failure, disappointment, and pain.
 "This graph [looks like] our worst nightmare," but read on.
But here is what really matters: regardless of how the world might rate Jesus' life, his Father was pleased. That is the true measure of success. It doesn't matter what the opinion polls said, who Jesus chose to align himself with, or how many disciples he produced in his lifetime. The success of his life was measured by his obedience more than even by his passion.
I once heard the story of a young piano player. He had just finished playing a concert. He walked off the stage to a standing ovation. Backstage, his manager urged him to go back out for an encore. The young man refused.
"Come on, they all love you!" the manager said. "No, not everyone," said the young man. "Did you see that old man in the back? He's not standing." "What's the big deal? He's one guy out of an entire crowd." "No," the pianist replied. "That old man is my teacher."
"And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?" [Mark 8:36] For all the energy we expend seeking success, what matters most is knowing how our lives will be judged. Because in the end, success has nothing to do with pleasing the masses. It's about obeying the One.
-Dave Gibbons
Question: The true measure of success is pleasing ________.
Learn more about Dave Gibbons's XEALOTS: Defying the Gravity of Normality
- Adam Forrest, Zondervan
(Images above is from the text of XEALOTS, though som styling above is web-exclusive. This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer's personal opinions are shared only for information purposes. To receive new Zondervan Blog posts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)
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