The Season: Part 4-After Easter

Easter...Lent ended and as I awoke on the best day of the year I sort of waited for some kind of revelation of what may have been growing all season to burst forth=Nothing. I did my devotionals, listened to an Easter song, worked out, went to church, and waited...nada. Enjoyed a great evening with Mam, ended my abstinence with little fanfare, hung out with Mark by the fire for a while and went to bed. Yeah.


So...was the "season" all for naught? Hardly...I did some assessing this morning and came up with a few take a ways:

1. My chosen abstinence, even with the sudden tragedy of losing "Arelio" on Thursday, was sound throughout Lent and I find humility and triumph in that. Thank YOU, Lord...
2. I did go out of my comfort zone several times and add to my "carefully protected schedule" a few meetings and outings in the name of Lent (adding something you don't normally do) which proved that my time is not that precious. One in particular (a jail ministry) I plan to continue.
3. My prayer time was more searching, more fervent, more pleading in asking God to change me, show me, lead me...

As I was walking Solomon today, it occurred to me that Lent is typically a fasting from food (meat, dairy, etc. depending on the day and religion). I have read many times about fasting being a spiritual discipline but it has always been a practice I've avoided...I know how to fast! I skip meals on a regular basis and not to draw me closer to Christ, so the idea of a purposeful fast from food has always been a red flag to me=it would NOT result in the intended motive, rather, I'd be focused on how many calories and fat grams I was saving.


Still, I did "fast" during Lent and chose to give up something God and I agreed upon for my good and growth. And it did produce growth for sure. I considered that a fast can be from anything that keeps us from God, or at least, from being as close as we can be. And why does it have to just be for Lent? There are all kinds of fasts recorded that have nothing to do with the preparation for Easter.


That got me thinking...maybe, since I learned during this Lenten season that I certainly can fast from something I'll admit I did not want to give up for 6+ weeks, I can purposely fast from other things throughout the year (why just wait till Lent???) in order to draw myself closer to Jesus?


A few things came to mind....habits, tendencies, routines...and the one that stuck out most was my "carefully protected schedule". Now--I firmly believe that being a creature of habit is okay. My daily routine brings me comfort, security, and predictability which, I also firmly believe, aides in a peace of mind. However, any sudden derivation from that routine can send me into red flag mode. Take last Friday...


Good Friday...Mark and I had plans to go shop, which we did. I had a long list of Easter and "we-are-having-a-house-guest-for-4-days" preparation plans which I had factored into a 4 day weekend which included attending Good Friday services. I went, was blessed, and was home and in cleaning clothes by 2:45pm. I began to clean the dining room.


Mark got ready for work. He had put his name on the "call-me-if-I'm-not-needed-and-I'll-take-the-day-off" list. I get irritated when he does this but that's on me. He left around 3pm to go to work. I vacuumed, I dusted, I sprayed...I kept looking out the window to see if his truck would pull up (meaning he got the call). I settled into a good mode of cleaning, wondering why I choose to pay attention to the dining room only 1-2 times per year...I stopped looking out the window after about 20 minutes...


Door swings open=Mark is home!?=no work=no pay=is he going to interrupt my cleaning??? My time? Will he track dust into the dining room??? Red flags flying all around...and I HATEHATEHATE when I get that way. Turns out, he stayed for a few minutes and then went to visit people=affording me the opportunity to finish up what I needed/wanted to do and enjoy a quiet evening by myself. But still...


What would a fast from "my time" look like? How would that draw me closer to Jesus? I've been wrestling with this since my walk with Solomon and I'm really contemplating it for further growth...why not rearrange things? Keep "time" open for whatever opportunities that God allows? (and I'm quite sure there would be some!). Give myself a "routine fast" for whatever time God and I agree upon and just see what happens...?


Even if the thought of this is the only thing that has "bloomed" for Easter, I'm good with that...If there's one thing I know I can do, it's fast! And I will continue to pray for God's leading in whatever form it takes as I continue on my journey for good and growth.