Fasting For Spiritual Renewal - Not Just For Weight Loss
Sometimes no matter how hard you try to focus on good and positive things all you can see is the bad. Seeing nothing but bad eventually leads us to focusing on self-centeredness, unable to hear our own inner voice. Fasting is more than just not eating meat on Fridays. Fasting is a way to leave behind that physical pain, those bad thoughts, that self-centeredness. Fasting removes our dependency from all things that block our sensitivity to the spiritual.
I want to take you on a little journey to give you a glimpse into my "why" when it comes to living a Leaner Lifestyle, even after I reached my goal weight. For me, and I'm guessing there are many others of you who would agree, reaching that goal weight was just the beginning. Weight loss was the physical renewal that was visible to everyone. The REAL renewal was what took place on the inside. Those deepest darkest places that no one else could see. That renewal was a spiritual renewal. No, not a religious renewal that was tied to a certain set of doctrinal beliefs or a religious denomination. Rather a true deep-rooted spiritual renewal that was directly tied to my personal relationship with a very personal God. A relationship that allows me to live a life of clean eating to honor my body rather than junking it up.
The Metabolic Boosting: Lose 1 Pound Per Day Plan (found in "The Metabolism Solution") fits perfectly with fasting lifestyles, making it easier to stick to your fast regardless of your religion. This in turn allows you to concentrate on the reason why you're fasting in the first place, keeping your body and mind healthy so you can focus on the more important things in life - renewing your spirit and not just focusing on your body.
For me, fasting brings deeper meaning to my life and helps me to hear God's voice more clearly, allowing me to live according to His will. In short, it brings clarity to my life. At my church, Northeast Community Church, we fast together as a community and as individuals. I would love for you to join with me this week spending time reading, reflecting and praying using this Daily Spiritual Renewal Guide (You may print the guide out directly from the link. Special thanks to Northeast Community Church for content).
Make sure you break your fast in as clean a way as possible by referring to the clean recipe in the Renewal Guide for the last day. Your system will have been purified and your spirit renewed. Let's not "junk" it right back up with heavy eating to only weigh you right back down again.
I am thrilled that you're taking this journey of spiritual renewal with me. I can't wait to hear your stories of how God worked in and through your life. I challenge all of us to dig deep and lose that excess baggage we've been carrying around. And not just of the unwanted physical weight variety.
For more information about fasting and weight loss refer to "The Metabolism Solution: God and Your Bod".
Note: During a time of fasting it's a good idea to decrease your workouts