One of the purposes of a fast is to learn to become more disciplined. For most people, this might, by default, apply to things like what we eat or drink, how and when we workout, or how much we meditate or pray. It is likely that you will give up or fast from something that is causing you negative feelings or behaviors. We don’t usually fast from joyful things! (Except maybe something like sugar… but even then, if you are fasting from it, it’s probably because you know it is not good for you or you don’t like how you feel when you indulge in it, correct?) Perhaps for Lent you are giving up alcohol or social media. These are good things to fast from on the surface, for sure. But what if we got under those things and thought more deeply about how and why we go to them in the first place?
What is it that we are seeking when we turn to social media? Is it relief from boredom? Is it to stay in the know? Is it to see if our sharing has gotten any attention? Can you determine when you’ve “had enough” of social media? What does enough feel like for you?
What is it that we are seeking when we turn to alcohol or sugar or anything in excess? Is it some form of numbing or escape? If it isn’t, then why are we giving it up?
I don’t have the right answers here, I only have my answers for me. Your answers will be uniquely yours.
Right now, I don’t really have any major physical vice I need to fast from. I feel healthier than I have in my entire life, and I am more disciplined with my health than I’ve ever been. What I want to give up is a mental dialogue loop that says, “You’re not enough,” in its infinite variations. I wish it were as easy as not eating cookies, or fasting from wine. I wish I could give it up on Fridays with meat.
Sometimes, my boys say negative things about themselves. I always say, “Hey. When you insult yourself, you insult me; I made you.” And they laugh and say, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” And every single time, I walk away and think, “When I insult myself or beat myself up, I insult and beat up God. He made me.” I will tell you, cognitively anyway, it is the one thing that snaps me out of my negative loop the quickest.
Let’s take Day 2 and use what we have – use what we know about ourselves – to clean up some negative self-talk. Anytime you slide into a negative narrative, remind yourself that you are fasting from it.
Put the sugar-coated insult back in the box.
