(This is a third post on the theme of fasting from sugar.)

I’ve fasted from sugar several times in the past. One time, I didn’t have any obvious sugar for a year. (I say “obvious” because ketchup has sugar in it and I ate things like that.) I found out that once I determined that “sugar is not an option,” and after the major cravings went away, it really wasn’t that hard. There’s something inside me that can decide “don’t even give it the slightest thought.” As that happens, it’s like this huge round peg drops into a huge round hole with a huge “thunk!” and it’s too heavy to lift. It means, “you’re not going to choose sugar, it’s not an option.” When that happens, it hardly becomes a choice. And that’s how I was able to do it. Of course, I credited the Lord and it was a spiritual exercise. But it was primarily so that I could be freed from the temptation that made me feel bad that it was more important than God, and that I was addicted.

And this month long fast is about all that but I’m trying to focus in a little differently. I’m trying to consciously use the desires and cravings to turn my attention to desiring and craving God. That was certainly a part of it in the past but this time, I think it’s more pointed. It’s my main focus, rather than trying to get away from the temptation.

In the past, I would put any temptation away so that I wouldn’t see and desire it. This time I left the bag of chocolate pretzels out on purpose so that when I saw it, my attention would be drawn to the Lord. Larry enjoyed those pretzels and most likely felt relieved knowing I wouldn’t get mad at him for eating my stuff! By the way, anything sugar in the house is MY stuff! It’s true: don’t eat my chocolate and no one will get hurt!

So my journey continues of hungering and thirsting more for God. It’s fun to notice how many verses in the Bible talk about something like, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” It’s so fun that you can never overdose on focusing on God. You can never gain weight from communing with God. And you don’t need to ever feel guilty spending time with God.