Practice Makes Perfect

One of the things am learning about this fasting process is what it means to be a practicing xtian. When hunger strikes, as it does round 3pm, the pain reminds me to focus on God. Maybe say a prayer or sing a song or just think of him. Just something to put me back in God’s presence. As the days go on, it starts becoming part of you and it’s really cool to be honest.

Problem starts after you break your fast. It’s like you go back to how you were beforehand. You are comfortable and feel satisfied. That physical pain is not there anymore to remind you to focus on God. Basically, you are in prime position to take him for granted, get complacent and inevitably to fall.

The phrase “thorn in my flesh” came to mind recently and I did a search in my bible. It linked me to this passage and it says it all

2 Corinthians 12:

7 And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.
8 Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me;
9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

This is a profound statement. I believe the thorn in our flesh, that nagging issue or fault or besetting sin serves the same purpose as hunger during fasting. Question is how to channel the pain from the thorn to focusing on God like during the fasting when we get hit by hunger pains. What is different about physical pain than emotional pain that makes it easier to channel to God? Is it that emotional pain aint that bad? Is it cos physical pain comes from the flesh which is easier to deal with while emotional pain is from your soul? Or is it physical pain is more instant while emotional pain more delayed? To be honest I don’t know. It might be a case of different strokes for different folks. Maybe for some people it’s the reverse. I think this will have to be discussed in my blog at some point in the future.

But I like this scripture because it goes on to say "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." God has given us enough tries for us to get it right with him. What we need to do is keep practicing his principles.

Am happy I decided to do PUSH this year. Am learning so much about myself and God. I definitely could be praying more. This is obviously an area I will need to work further on.

Anyhow peeps later