BY LAURITA LUDWIG

OW DOES A PERSON FAST?

Some people go without food for a day or two. Some people fast one day a week as a permanent regime. "It's good for the body," they say. I believe them. Some people drink juice or eat just fruit for the designated period of time. I really think that's wonderful.

My problem is that I just can't do it.

I've tried fasting several times but get extremely sick for my effort. This happens to me even with a fruit or juice fast. The part of the Lord's Prayer that says "Give us this day our daily bread" seems especially true for me. I seem to need bread, grains, etc. Some people I've met think that I just don't have enough faith. If I had enough faith, they say, God would enable me to fast without getting sick. So now, not only can't I fast like other people, but I can feel guilty about it, too!

Life in the Fast Lane
Surely I'm not the only person on our planet with this problem. I have felt like an inferior Christian over this. I know the Lord didn't command us to fast, but I think the spiritual discipline is beneficial. One day I was talking--rather, complaining--to God, and the idea He gave convinced me once again of His love and wonderful grace toward me. I was praying for some members of our extended family who were struggling to pay their bills. I prayed that the father would find a good job so he could support his family. I wanted to fast as well as pray for God's help, but I knew I couldn't do a normal fast. The thought that came to me was this: Fasting could be giving up something you enjoy.

So I thought of something I enjoyed, such as reading a certain section of the newspaper each evening to unwind from the day. OK. I can do without that, and every time I see the paper and avoid that section, it will remind me to pray for the ones I'm fasting for. So I did, and God did! God answered my prayers for this family. The financial stress is much less. They will always need help from God to make ends meet, so I've determined that this fast for me will be a permanent one.

God probably would have answered my prayer without this fast, but the fast keeps me focused--and isn't that what it's supposed to do? It was the exclamation point to my prayer. I was willing to give up something to let God know how important this was to me.

I was so excited that God honored my feeble attempt to fast that I was ready to give up something else for a good cause. I didn't have to wait long. A dearly loved friend who had been an abused child was having difficulty controlling her feelings and actions when life and people disappointed her. I knew that she had given her heart to the Lord and that she wanted to be God's child, but past hurts remain unresolved, and present problems seem more than she can bear. I wanted two things for my friend: healing from the past and solutions from God for her present problems.

I knew God was teaching me different ways of fasting, and I knew I was praying within His will. I wasn't asking for anything that He wouldn't want, so now I was wondering what I could fast from for this request? I really couldn't think of anything right off, so I asked God for an idea. I know God gave me this idea, because you can be sure I wouldn't have come up with it on my own: chocolate!

Now, I realize that some people think eating chocolate is a sin and that it should be given up anyway. Probably in their estimation it wouldn't be a proper fast. I've heard many health arguments for and against it. Someone else can write an article on that topic! The one thing I know is that giving it up for a fast was God's idea, not mine.

This fast probably isn't as rough for me as it would be for a real chocoholic who needs daily doses, but chocolate was definitely something I enjoyed. I would almost always choose a chocolate dessert at potluck. I was especially fond of brownies and craved them when pregnant with my son. On vacations I would like hot chocolate maybe twice in one week along with breakfast.

It has been amusing how much chocolate I've been offered since going on this fast. Gratefully, I've been amazed at how easy it has been to turn down. The reason: I love the person I'm fasting for much more than I ever loved chocolate. Seeing or thinking about chocolate reminds me to pray for this person. God has shown me some positive results from this fast also.

I was feeling a little embarrassed when mentioning my types of fast to my pastor. But he encouraged me by reading Daniel 10:2, 3: "In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled." Apparently Daniel chose to fast from some things he enjoyed. It appears that he was eating, just not those favorite foods. He also refrained from lotion or nice-smelling fragrances (ointment).

Jesus' Example
It encourages me to know that Jesus is also on this different kind of fast. He told us about it in Matthew 26:29: "I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." He isn't doing it to remember me, because I am constantly on His mind. But His fast shows me again how important I am to Him. He wants me to be there with Him.

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Laurita Ludwig, a retired dental hygienist and a happy grandma, writes from Auburn, Washington.