It has been said, "Mankind can resist anything......except temptation," and we are tempted in some way or other every day. I have a tendency to want to lose my temper while driving to work (anyone in VA Beach is probably fighting this urge right now too), and as always I struggle with the urge to be selfish in some form or another. The problem persists because just as I seem to get a handle on one form of selfishness, it takes a different form and the struggle continues. One thing that I have learned from this struggle is that we are completely unable to defeat temptation with willpower alone. Even the incredibly strong will succumb eventually if they only trust in their own strength. But there is hope. My Brother Dave (His picture is to the left) turned me on to the idea of fasting and prayer before making any big decisions. At first I was very suspicious of any real spiritual value in depriving myself of food, but I was intrigued by the challenge and decided to try it years ago before applying to law school. I was miserable during the fast, and when it was over, I felt no real difference. So I went about my business as if nothing had happened and I noticed something several days later. I encountered some temptation, I don't even remember what it was, that before that time, had been very difficult to overcome, but it's power was incredibly diminished at this encounter. I didn't know why until I realized, all that time I spent denying myself food, I was continually saying "no" to my flesh and depending on God's provision for me through prayer. The desire for food was stronger than the other temptation and I immediately went to God in this other situation instead of trusting my own strength. Scripture is full of people fasting in order to get closer to God. Christ himself fasted 40 days before beginning his ministry at which time He fought temptation putting all His strength with the Father. He obviously considered the fast very important preparation. The nation of Israel decreed countless periods of prayer and fasting as acts of contrition after which God would almost always forgive them. When we fast, we are saying to God, "We don't need anything but You," which is what He wants from us. I'd like to challenge anyone reading this who has never done it to try a fast of some kind. When you start to get hungry, have a drink and read the Bible. As you progress, you may actually enjoy it, and the meal you have at the end will be the best tasting one you've had in a while. As a sidenote, I still struggle with road rage and selfishness, but like the rest of us, I am a work in progress.
