silence and fasting

We live in a world that is manifested and defined by desperate times; an age where there is never enough time in the day, we start to get caught up in our daily activities and in return we forget to take the time to tune into God and to listen for what he has to say. Lately I have found myself dwelling on this aspect of my life; I have realized that I am one of the many people who has taken God and his many blessings for granted. I forget that waking up each morning is a gift that He can take away from me at any moment; I need to get my head on a bit straighter and pay attention to Him. After all, I do not deserve to be here, no one truly does. I must stop being so selfish in my ways; I must give up my full attention and direct it towards God, I must begin to actually listen to what he is telling me, and take the time to appreciate the many things he has given me. Matthew 6:16-18 says, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” I spent three days fasting in order to hand my self over to God, the time I would normally have spent eating I spent in the solitude of my room praying, and listening to Him. I didn’t have any divine revelations in this time of reflection but I was able to relax and spend some time with God and really focus. I found that during this time I really felt at peace and had a sense of calmness that surrounded me. What I got out of this experience was an awesome time alone with God each day where I didn’t have to worry about anything; the daily distractions were taken away and I could actually think for a change. I really enjoyed this experience and even though I am now finished my fast, I realized I genuinely do need those few minutes in my day when I can forget about life’s problems, go someplace quiet and alone, and reflect in God. Whether through singing or listening to music, doing devotions, praying or just lying down with my eyes closed and listening to the silence within the atmosphere that surrounds me. It really does make the rest of your day feel more at peace, you feel so content afterwards. I will definitely continue to find a time each day to do this.