Easter is coming up so soon! Can you believe it?
These past few weeks here at Journey, we have been focused on the idea of Less is More. We were simply trying to create a little margain in the middle of our hectic lives. Do you feel overhwelmed sometimes? Like your simply treading water and staying afloat? If you said yes (like I did), then you'll know that having a little space in our lives is a welcome relief.
Unfortunatley, creating space requires letting some things fall away for awhile. When you intentionally try and deny yourself something that you rely on, that's called a fast. Some people at Journey have chosen to give up all apps on their phones except communicaiton apps, others have stepped away from certain foods, and still others have chosen not to eat for an entire day. Whatever they have chosen, it has required discipline and a lot of grace.
But I can tell you personally, that through the discipline of abstaining from something I desire/crave, I have found my life has reoriented itself towards meaningful activities such as more reading and writing. You may find it gives your more time with family or more time to simply rest.
It is important to note that fasting (and denial) isn't about punishment or tearing yourself down, it's about trusting in that providing space in your life is a good thing. Just because a time slot is empty, does not mean it must be filled.
That takes patience, perseverence, and God. Another aspect to the season before Easter (called Lent) is prayer. We fast, but we also pray. We understand that prayer is being keenly aware of the relationship we have with God. We know we do not walk alone, and we know that even though we deny ourselves something through fasting, God is in that empty space.
Therefore, between fasting and praying, we are shaping ourselves to be more aware of God's presence in our life. These are called spiritual disciplines and I hope that you have been able to participlate, or will choose to participate in the future in a practice that makes you more aware of God's presence in your life.
