Why Is Fasting So Hard?

Why is fasting so hard?  I've never liked dieting.  I'm too in love with bread and dessert to stick with a diet for long.  When intermittent fasting became a thing, I did not jump on that band wagon.  My husband mentioned that I am not very nice when I'm hangry.  So when I started hearing a lot of friends talk about fasting, I was challenged.  I've had several friends who have mentioned that God has challenged them to fast (giving up something and replacing it with prayer) for answers to prayers.  As they've done this, they have begun to report back amazing ways God answered their prayers almost instantly.  My daughters are friends with a couple in ministry.  They fasted and prayed for God to provide a bus for the ministry.  Within a very short time period, they were given a very nice bus.  If things happen when we fast, why do we struggle to do it?  I think when Jesus fasted for forty days and nights, the Bible showed some of our struggles.  In Matthew 4:1-11, when Jesus had fasted forty days, he went into the wilderness.  It mentions He was hungry.  I know if I skip breakfast, I feel like I've not eaten for days.  Headaches, stomach grumbles, and emotional moments are just a few things that happen.  Can you imagine what forty days would do to you?  At Jesus most vulnerable point when He was hungry, it mentions the tempter came to Him.  When you are getting serious about prayer and God, that's when the tempter comes.  Distractions happen.  The first distraction Jesus went through was the devil trying to convince Him to eat something.  It never fails.  When you fast, someone decides to present you with the most amazing cake you have ever seen.  Or how about when you've determined to fast and you get invited to a birthday party or special event that is surrounded by food.  Fasting isn't just limited to food.  For some, skipping food medically isn't a good idea.  Fasting can be giving up anything that takes up a large part of your time that you will replace with prayer.  You may fast social media or television.  The key is staying strong when temptation comes to quit.  Keep in mind if you don't replace your fasted thing with prayer, it's just dieting.  The second thing the tempter did when Jesus fasted was command Him to throw Himself off of a temple and test God.  Jesus mentioned, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." (Matt. 4:7 NIV) How many times do we test God?  I'll give up this if you do this God?  If You show me this sign, I'll obey. Fasting is not about manipulating God.  Fasting is about letting God have control of your life and letting Him be in charge.  Whether God gives a sign or not, when He's in control, we obey.  The last thing the devil did to Jesus was tempt Him with power if Jesus would worship the devil. Jesus responded, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’(Matt. 4:10 NIV) This challenges me that during fasting, I should be focusing on God, not what I can get out of a fast.  Do I need more stuff or more of God?  When we fast for more of God in our lives or our families lives, the rest of the stuff doesn't matter.  Back to the bus fast.  When the couple were fasting and received the bus, they were looking at ways to minister to the lost.  They didn't ask for a bus so they could seem important or have the biggest ministry.  They wanted to reach as many as possible and tell others about Jesus, so they fasted for God to provide the means to minister to as many as possible.  God answered their prayers, not to give them stuff, but to help them to fulfill His will for their lives.  He will do the same for you!

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!