HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL AND POWERFUL FAST, PART III

How to manage your schedule while fasting:

2-fold reason for schedule adjustments…1st is physical. Throughout the fast, you may feel somewhat weaker than normal. During the first few days, you may feel tired and irritable.

• You may want to lighten your workload and exercise routine.


• If you engage in strenuous physical labor, you may wish to fast only one or more days of the week, limiting yourself to partial fasting. You may look to the weekends for fasting.


• In the morning you may feel like you are on top of the world, but by evening you may be wrestling with the flesh-sorely tempted to raid the refrigerator and counting how many more days are left in your fast. To counteract temptations like these, take extra time with to spend with God. Step outside for a walk and talk to the Lord as you go. In the process, keep on sipping water or juice all day.


• Fasting is not just denying yourself food. It is exchanging the needs of the physical body for those of the 2nd reason for adjusting, spiritual. If you dissipate energy on numerous errands or busy-work to the neglect of spending time with God, you will starve both physically and spiritually.

What to tell friends, co-workers and loved ones:

• “I have other plans for lunch today.”


• Christians should be satisfied when you answer that you are fasting today.


• Don’t try to keep it a secret…allow your Christian friends to support you and pray for you during the fast.


• If friends and family express concern for your health, ease their fears by telling them that you will stop fasting the moment you feel you are harming your body or if the Lord leads you to end your fast.


• There is usually no reason for telling strangers or casual acquaintances that you are fasting. If you do, they may subject you to a lot of questions that you may not want to answer.