Lent--Fasting (from myself)

I have declared this year of lent a "year for learning." Like many things in life, it is much easier to learn WHILE DOING it rather than just reading or talking about it. Today, I was reading (now that we are in the middle of Lent) about fasting, prayer and almsgiving. It was cool, but I have to admit, I'm lagging way behind now!

Fasting, prayer and almsgiving are not merely "rituals." They are exercises. And when you exercise, there are all sorts of additional/extra purposes and benefits. We exercise for a stronger cardiovascular system, to lose weight, to gain muscle, and to look HOT. Well, fasting, prayer and almsgiving are like exercise. No, they won't make you HOT, but do they have additional purposes and results.

Here is how Robert Webber breaks it down...
Fasting from food is a symbol of the discipline it takes to turn away from sin.
Prayer is the actual experience of turning to God in dependence.
Almsgiving is the symbol of virtue we are taking on to replace our sin.

So, the whole exercise of fasting, praying and almsgiving is a physical and outward symbol/exercise that is to be paralleled in our own growing spirituality. This is where I hit a wall this morning. I've decided to fast from coffee during Lent...as a way of remembering my mortality and the looming of the cross to come for Christ. I also have recognized that it is a symbol for my need to give up sin in my life...

And here's the problem...I don't really think I have any. Maybe that sounds conceded or heretical. That's just because you can't imagine being perfect! No, I realize that I have all sorts of sin and that I am twisted in my soul. I know it. But rarely do I FEEL it. Rarely am I overwhelmed by it. I should be, but I'm not. And so, when I read this morning about giving up something...depending on God...and replacing it with some virtue, I froze. I realized that I had NOT pointed my finger at anything specific that I need to give up/change/etc. I had spent all my time thinking about what I'd give up (food, coffee, etc.) and NO time on how my spirituality was suffering because of this or that sin.

So, here's my go at it. In addition to fasting from coffee, I'll be fasting from myself. I suppose that's a bit of a challenge, since I'm ALWAYS with myself. But, I'm going to try to NOT be so committed to soothing my own ego...to getting what is best for ME...to making myself appear to be something I'm not...etc. Next year, maybe I'll be able to spend some time thinking of something more specific. We'll see. But for the rest of Lent (and hopefully beyond), I'll be thinking less of myself and more of others. Except, of course, on Sundays--where I will be drinking strong coffee of MY choice for MY benefit wherever I want to drink it!!!!!

Any other fasting folk out there?
You can send your almsgiving directly to my home address!