Fast Sunday is coming up soon, the day that elicits more groans and complaints than any other day the rest of the month. Here are some tips that might help you make it through the day.
1. Choose a specific thing or person to fast for. If you focus on that person and their needs and what you hope will happen for them, or on the thing you need in your own life, you’re more likely to stay on task and be more committed to the fast you’ve undertaken. If you don’t have a specific purpose in your fast, you’re more likely to slip.
2. Don’t eat a lot of sugar before starting your fast. Your blood sugar will spike and then drop, and you’ll find it harder to maintain the fast with that kind of artificial tampering with your blood sugar.
3. Eat foods that contain protein before beginning your fast. Protein makes you feel stronger and also helps stabilize that pesky blood sugar.
4. Remember that fasting is not for everyone, and if you simply cannot go without food for the recommended length of time, you are perfectly fine to fast for a shorter time period. Some people are only able to fast for four hours. That’s all right—they are doing the best they can, and so can you. If you are able to go longer, you should. But only you know your body’s limitations, and there are certain conditions that preclude fasting, pregnancy included.
5. Prepare a meal in your Crockpot that will be ready when it’s time to break the fast. There’s nothing worse than being hungry and having to wait another hour to eat. If you set up your Crockpot with a nice roast or stew and set it to simmering throughout the day, it will be ready when you are.
Remember, we fast to bring our bodies into submission to our spirits and to show our Heavenly Father our devotion to him. But we are also counseled to find joy in our fasting. If fasting is too hard for you, find ways to make it something you look forward to instead of dreading. Our worship should be done with joy, not moaning.
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(Image courtesy of Morguefile.)