From Lent to Pentecost: Continuing Disciplines of Faith

The goal of fasting, whether it's from food or media or other behaviors, isn't just about suffering, Though there may be periods of longing when we decide to free ourselves of certain things, either for a time or forever. Fasting is about what we replace it with. So when we fast, whether from food or other things, we are reminded of our total dependency. We're reminded that nothing but our relationship with God truly satisfies. [00:57:33] (36 seconds)  #FastingForFulfillment

We will never escape the need for food as sustenance on this earth, but we may escape other things through God's strength. So when we fast, we free ourselves from earthly bondage and provide an opportunity for God to fill that infinite void, that abyss in our hearts. Fasting and reflection is about God asking us, Do you trust me to meet your needs? [00:58:09] (32 seconds)  #TrustGodToFill

Whenever we fast, we learn something about ourselves and how we fill our voids. We learn what things are hard for us to give up. We learn about our treasures, whether they're literal or more abstract. And as the passage mentions, fasting is not about appearing downcast or making it clear to everyone that we are fasting. Fasting is about freeing up our hearts to connect with God. [00:55:09] (31 seconds)  #FastToConnect

So ultimately, Lent and the following season is about asking a simple question, where are you with God? Where are you with God? As you get up each day, I encourage you to continue asking that question and patiently listen for God's response. [01:06:00] (20 seconds)  #DailyGodCheck

There are things that we can consume that are fun. You watch videos, it makes us laugh. And yet, earthly things can give us pleasure, but only God can give us satisfaction. That's the difference. So understand that even though I mentioned social media, it's not about that. It's not about chocolate or coffee. And I'll be honest with you, I don't always like to fast, particularly from food. I don't like to skip meals, but that tells me something about what I value. [00:56:49] (43 seconds)  #GodOverPleasure

If we're all honest, sometimes we don't want to fast and pray for similar reasons. It's too much work. So routine and tradition can be valuable, but they all also represent a shortcoming of the Christian calendar and the risk that both Calvin and Kuiper highlighted. Lent can be a season where we refresh and renew our spiritual disciplines, and that's good. But we should seek to continue those disciplines throughout the year. [01:02:03] (35 seconds)  #BeyondLentDiscipline

For long term sustainable health, we need to make healthy, incremental lifestyle choices. That applies not just to our physical body, but also to our spiritual life. We're reminded that Lent is not about us, about the calendar we created, it's about Jesus' triumph over sin. The question for us is, how will we respond? Once we hit Monday, once you hit Monday, once I hit Monday after Easter, did we return to whatever we were doing before Ash Wednesday, or were we changed? [00:59:29] (37 seconds)  #ChangeAfterEaster

So what do people do on the Monday after Easter? Do they gorge themselves on the chocolate bunnies that they received the day before? Do they scroll through hours of social media after fasting for the last six weeks? Do they drink a gallon of coffee by lunchtime? These are rhetorical questions, don't need any responses or anyone to raise hands. Nutritionists tell us that many diets do not work when it comes to something like losing weight. [00:59:00] (30 seconds)  #MondayAfterEasterReality