Celebration of Discipline, chapter 4 "Fasting"

[Karen L.]

I skimmed the chapter on prayer and skipped ahead to the chapter on fasting but I will return to prayer. I am fasting from sweets during lent as well as from facebook. Typically I don't talk about fasting, but as I am going through this book and learning, I feel like it is okay to mention if any of us are fasting and are having questions about it. So if anyone does want to pose a question to others about fasting, go right ahead :) As for my fast from sweets, it is good. I feel that I am appreciating enjoying a sweet on Sunday (which makes the Sabbath more special). I am also realizing that I don't need to have a cookie (or bicuit) after dinner. I can leave the table and still have a good evening without a sweet! I DO NOT NEED sweets.


I like Foster's reflections on fasting from page 58. He talks about contentment in point 3. He mentions that he became more aware as he fasted of contentment and that he didn't NEED some things to be content, like a seat on the bus to feel content, or to be cool in the summer, or warm when it was cold. I suppose that the contentment he talks about could be interpreted to be more like "joy.?" I want to pursue more fasting and seek to grow in joy.

[Elaine]

yes me too. I gave up moaning and saying anything nasty about anyone for lent rather than any food. Foster has inspired me to try food fasting though.I'll let you know what God taught me through it

[Skylar]

I like to fast from wine during Lent typically. It's an interesting persepctive, that in giving up the thing you show yourself you don't need it to be content. That's a good way of looking at it, but, on the other hand, you do miss the thing, right? If you don't miss it, giving it up would not be "fasting", and in missing the thing, you are reminded of God's gifts, of his goodness that you typically enjoy daily. At least that's how I see it.