:: greatness is a life well-lived ::

on fasting

Good Friday today....I think the original title was more like "what-man-meant-for-evil-God-meant-for-Good" Friday, and so that's why the ironic titling of a day that was the darkest and most horrible day in history...God had died. But Sunday's coming...Easter's coming. And that is what makes Friday Good.

I was chatting with my friend Tom about what we gave up for Lent...me coffee, and him tv...and we both wondered really whether in the fasting, if anything "spiritual" came about, if it really helped us focus more on God.

And so I've been pondering the discipline of fasting. It's something only in recent years that I've been practicing in various ways in my life, intentional giving up of something for the purpose of leaning more on Christ. And I think that whether or not there's any perceived "spiritual growth" that happens, God takes our feeble efforts and makes something beautiful. It's in the discipline that we are formed more into Christlikeness. It's not what we give up, but the process of giving up that does the work. It's increasing our awareness of how we live and the choices we make, and making us recognize that we go from day to day with such little awareness of our need for God.

During Lent, I also tried to fast in another area of my life (more internal stuff than the easier tangible coffee fast), but failed miserably. Yet in the midst of that failure, God worked in my mind and heart and has done incredible things, for which I'm grateful. It's amazing to look back on this season of Lent and see the journey I've been on, the changes that have come about. It's been a very weighty and difficult season in many respects. But one that is remarkable, to be sure.

Today, on Dark Friday, I look forward to dying...the death of myself in Christ.

Because, I know, Easter's coming!

posted by FaithChristine @ 08:08