Four friends. Four personalities. Four views.
Four of us have entered into the world of 7.
I admit we did it willingly. No one was forcing us to participate. So we thrust our lives and habits into this world of mutiny against excess. I said, "We know what we were getting ourselves into." I take it back. I had no idea what was coming or how God was going to work. And we have only finished Week 1.
This study is about liberation. It involves seven fasts from seven areas of excess. Liberation from excess. Can I get an Amen?
Everyone has excess in one of these areas or more. We live in our worlds with dishwashers that wash multitudes of dishes that are stacked sometimes unused in our cabinets. We have garbage disposals that dispose of unwanted food that children and adults around the world would go through our trash for. We have closets and drawers full of excess that we cannot or do not wear for one reason or another. The list could go on. For me. And when I think of the waste I am responsible for, it horrifies me. I am guilty of excess and waste, throwing away what I don't want, when I don't want it, and others go without.
That's when 7 entered. Truth be told, I have been in need of this for a long time.
I could not have come through this first week without the Council Tribe. We entertained complaints, gripes and just plain discontent. We held each other accountable, gave forgiveness when necessary and
encouraged those of us who needed it the most.
Week 1-- Seven foods for seven days. Only seven. For the whole week. When you have to choose your food for a week and only have seven choices you put effort and time into your choice. We all made our menu's and began the week.
Day one, not much difficulty. It was new. We had a purpose. Day two, I was getting weary of eating the same thing. Day three, being busy kept my mind off of it. Day four, I didn't want to see chicken ever again. Or apples. Day five, it was the hardest day of all. I almost didn't make it through. I confessed disillusion and hunger. Why was I doing this? I couldn't even remember. Day six, the countdown began. Day seven, I am sad to say, I was glad the week was over.
Throughout the week I began to make some assessments:
I have food readily available to me at ALL TIMES. I don't have to think about IF I'm going to eat…just when and what I'm going to eat. If I don't have what I want, there are many drive-thru's within minutes of my house.
I am a snacker. Period. I eat when I sit in front of the TV. I eat when I'm reading. I eat whenever I want. And, I like it.
If I am hungry, I can go to my kitchen and whip up any concoction of edible delights that I want. I don't have to look in the pantry and wonder if i have enough. We are so blessed, and I have not been thankful.
Those three lessons from God are an indictment on me, but believe me there are many more. When I think that five million children die yearly from starvation, and I am throwing away food because I don't want it anymore….fail.
Thanks to God and Jen Hatmaker I have become more aware of my food consumption. If our bodies are the temple of God, then shouldn't we put much more effort into what is being allowed to cross the threshold of it? I've never been one to "eat clean", go completely organic or be concerned about what is being swallowed, but now I think about everything that I eat.
I have found as the week ended and I was able to "eat" again, that what I thought I wanted to eat, I don't. And what I can eat, is not really appetizing anymore. Maybe that will change. I kind of hope it doesn't. I want to be more conscious.
The book says, "This is my one life. God chose these few years for my turn on earth. This is it. This is the heart He gave me, created to carry me through my tasks. I'm counting on these lungs to tell of His goodness, to sing my worship, to mother my children, to speak good news……These temples house so much value."
I'm disappointed in myself that I feel like I always need food. How selfish I am when it comes to that subject. I hold my nose if it's something I don't like---never considering what I really need. I eat "healthy" by my own standards, my own rules, my own way.
God, please help me.
I want to feel thankful, not entitled.
I want to be more in tune with God---not what I think I need.
I want to become more aware of people and their food needs.
I don't know what real hunger is….therefore, can I really know what it is like to "hunger and thirst for righteousness"?
Seven fasts. Seven weeks. This week 210 items will be tossed from my house, maybe more.
Our book says, "our treasures will steer our hearts"…
Matthew 6:21 says, "Where your treasure is there your heart is also."
More of You, God . Less of my stuff.
