Oops. Make that Fasting, Celebration, and Chastity.
Each week, I think we finished the 'hard' topic, and then I find out that every topic has a challenge in it. I learned several things about fasting. I haven't felt 'called' to fast in the past, and I now realize that this was probably a combination of both good and bad reasons. Here's what struck me:
1) I knew it was Biblical, I just didn't realize how foundational it was.
2) It's rather pointless to fast when you are too busy to pray.
3) Fasting should be inspired by God.
4) But we should pray for the openness of heart, to welcome and accept the call of God to fast.
I was feeling "off the hook" when I heard points 2 and 3, since I really hadn't ever felt called to fast. And then point number 4 really challenged me. So I prayed for openness of heart about fasting. It just occurred to me that there is a similarity between fasting and chastity. Both could be called the gift that no one wants.
It's probably not coincidence that 3 days after I prayed to be open to the idea of fasting, I suddenly felt called to fast, for the first time. I guess I had been sort of like a kid with her fingers in her ears, saying "I can't hear you".
Anyway, I just did one day, and felt totally foggy with no concentration, and no great revelation, yet I felt content that it was simply an act of obedience.
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