Reflect

Read: 

Isaiah 58:6-8

Think:

Fasting is HARD! We have routines that include the thing we fast from. We enjoy that thing. (Maybe too much?) Everybody else is using/doing/eating/drinking that thing we are fasting from. We have to explain our fast - over and over. 

Maybe this year will be different. Maybe this year, while we are fasting FROM something (in our case, media), we can change our focus. It is so easy to put so much emphasis on what we CAN'T do, that we forget to see what we CAN do. 

So what can we do? What do we have time for? Here are some ideas that will hopefully get your creativity flowing:

Call your grandma

Play a game with a sibling (or do their hair, clean their room, etc.)

Go for a walk

Create something (paint, draw, sew, write...)

Find something encouraging to say to one person everyday

Memorize a Bible verse

Take a stand for your faith

Pray

Challenge:

Make this month a time to reflect on who Jesus really is and what he has for you. Fasting is not about you, but about God and his love and mercy.

Sometimes we just need to refocus.

Day 17

Whatever. Such an easy word to use, very common today.

I have found myself referencing Philippians 4:8 a lot lately. You know, the "whatever"verse!

Finally, brothers,

whatever is true,

whatever is noble,

whatever is right,

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable--

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

This played a key role in helping me with a family conflict a few months ago. There were some awful things said, and I found myself thinking about it ALL the time. I started praying about it, and God gave me this verse (I have had it memorized since elementary school).

Whenever I started thinking about the conflict, I would ask myself: "Is it true?" NO "Is it noble?" NO, etc. This gave me a new perspective about the situation.

In my Bible study, our speaker said she uses this verse as a filter for everything. Is cussing ok? Well, is it lovely or admirable? NO! What about the convo's I have with my friends? Am I gossipping about someone or bashing my spouse (or parents!)? Are those things pure or right? NO!

I hope as you've spent time away from secular media you can see it in a whole new light and evaluate it once you do get back to it! I have found myself doing just that. Does God want me watching "The Real Housewives..."? NO, it is none of the "whatevers". How about the shows you watch? If you put them through the filter of Philippians 4:8, would they get through? What about your music? Websites? Books/magazines? This is such an easy way to see if what you are putting into your mind is what God wants in there!

What goes down in the well, comes up in the bucket!

-Beth Whitney

ps. Matt calls this the PERT PLAN (Pure, Excellent, Right, True, Praiseworthy, Lovely, Admirable, Noble... keeps the junk out of your hair... if you have any)