fasting

I think I'm starting to get fasting. I understood it before - I could outline the benefits and give you scripture verses about the need to fast, how to fast, etc. It was still a burden though. I did it becuase I knew it was good for me, and I was pretty sure I'd get it one day, but it sucked - to put it bluntly. I really like food; I tend to eat when I'm bored - fasting does not come naturally to me.

Then I would read things like 2 Corinthians 9:7: "...for God loves a cheerful giver." I know it's talking primarily about finances, but as Christians we give far more than money and I just knew it applied to fasting as well. I would pray and pray - how does one happily give up food? I could fake it, but didn't believe that really counted. How does one respond to the caving of ones stomach with, "Yes! I love that!"??

I got it yesterday - out of no where ... perhaps just a gift for being relatively faithful in the task. I don't know how it happened, but every time temptation presented itself I had this strange attitude that kind of laughed it off with an, "Are you kidding? I'm fasting! I'm drawing close to my Lord and Lover of my soul, and you'd get in the way!" It's cool.