Last Day- Wow so Inspired by you all. Without Guilt I ended by fast on Day #16 for Financial Reasons (ok, ok.....my Dog had surgery and with other bills a couple thousand dollars was spent in ONE day ) so I had to make do what was in my pantry, freezer for food for two whole weeks. I stuck to the fast as long as I could (16 of 21 days) but soon chicken, eggs became what had to happen in order to eat. I could of really reduced my intake but I also know that I'm in training now and building back up my running base to at least 20-25 miles a week for the month of January. I know God does not forsake me for financially having to end it early but instead loves the commitment I had for 16 days.
Perhaps that's another reason why I had complete comfort in having to go back to all foods. I learned that I'll be doing lots of other fasts but they will be much more sacrificial and will likely be Liquid only, juice only or absolute fasts. Partial food fasts just don't jive for me personally and well most importantly spiritually. I think Daniel had a lot less choices back then and it's blows my mind as I spoke with God about this just how many choices we all have that Daniel still did not - yet will we ever fully truly know? We know he was weak physically so I really think he much less than what we might be able to imagine. Yet, at the end of the controversy on what to eat and what not to eat it, I realized the fixation takes complete focus off the exact primary reason for the fast at all- that was to put complete focus on God. I think for me that's why those liquid fasts might be best for my mind and soul when it comes to doing a fast. I don't want to spend so much time shopping, planning and recipes. I've read where some sites that promote the daniel try hard to not get caught up in recipes either because you again lose focus on the largest picture! How much time was spent on thinking about what you'll eat next and what you can't eat. The mind explosion took over my thoughts. Where was God? God was there only upon temptation on not what I would I could eat but only in moments when I wanted eat out of the flesh foods that were not part of the fast. Then I started thinking maybe back then eating meat was seen as indulgent along with the wine. However for me meat is just a source of energy and protein and not sacrificial at all.
Physically I felt ok. I had severe gas and lots of bloating and you might wonder "huh, why?" and the fact remains I don't process carbs too well. I simply eat minimal grains and my intake mostly involves meats/veggies/fruit so going with just veggies/grains my belly was grumpy at times and bloated. It fully shows me that my body loves all foods just as God in Awesomeness intended :)
So I'm ready to keep fasting apart of my life- I've done a 2 day liquid fast that connected with a one day absolute fast and now 16 of 21 days of the Daniel. I'm learning and you know what? No matter how perfect, imperfect we are to God he will love the sacrifice. He will absolute love best the fellowship we had. He will love best if you shared this experience with friends, family and non-believers. We stand before him on judgement day and he won't even see what we ate- he will see how Spiritually connected we were with him. He will love and reward us for the love and any sacrifice for him. So don't worry if you did this perfectly, imperfectly- if you lasted a week, or the full 21 days. If you accidentally caved or stuck to it by full completion just HONOR what you did, HE will
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