In our church, we have something called Fast Sunday. It is the first Sunday of every month. We voluntarily abstain from food and drink for two consecutive meals. We combine fasting with prayer and ask God for help with special blessings. We take the money we would have spent on food and donate it to our Bishop. He carefully accounts for and manages our charitable donations to helps those in need.
To me, there is something peaceful about fasting. My body enjoys the reprieve that comes for abstaining from food. Since I have had a stomachache since the day I was born, I enjoy the placid peace of eating nothing and wonder why I don't have the stamina to starve myself more often?
Because we try to cook simple meals on fast Sunday, I spend less time in the kitchen and I feel as though there is more time for reflection and meditation. (It has taken years of study but I finally know how to meditate, hmm..maybe I will do a blog post about it someday.)
When I fast to be strong enough to overcome something, or to never let my thoughts go down certain dark roads, it is galvanizing to my soul to be actively working on overcoming weakness. I feel it bring me closer to God. When I fast for blessings to be given to loved ones, my love grows and I become more humble. The byproducts of fasting are well worth the discomfort.
Yes, I want to eat! Yes, I'm starving! But there will be time for that later. I just enjoy tuning my feelings to things that I can't usually feel when I have my mind on food.
