How fasting from distractions can deepen your spiritual journey this Lent

This past Sunday was the first Sunday in the season of Lent.

I shared during the children’s sermon that it is a time to rid ourselves of outside distractions so that God may form us inwardly into the likeness of Jesus.

I shared with them that Lent is a time when Christians commit themselves to prayer, fasting, and spiritual disciplines in preparation for the Easter resurrection.

I then challenged them to join me in fasting for these forty days, to give up something in order to take on time seeking God.

They understood the concept of fasting in terms of a food fast, giving up eating something to show discipline and a turning away from something. One delighted young disciple offered that he would fast from vegetables!

I challenged them to fast from distracting behaviors and to sense God, to slow down the daily routine that is filled with schedules, activities, and technology. I challenged them to join me in a fast from distractions that keep us from recognizing God’s presence.

When we challenge our bodies to get involved, we move beyond mere thoughts about God to a deeper experience, so I challenged them to use their senses.

They are to fast from distractions and as they set aside some distraction to use that time to identify each day where they saw God, felt God, heard God, tasted God, smelled God.

I’m looking forward to what they sense as they fast from their distractions and intentionally seek God’s presence to fill the void.

We also learned a simple breath prayer to remind us throughout the day in a way as simple as breathing to seek the Spirit’s guiding strength to sustain us in our fast.

Our breath prayer is inhale, “help me,” exhale “pay attention.”

We seek to rid ourselves of distractions and pay attention to what the Spirit is showing us.

What has been your experience with fasting? Has it created more room? What has come up to fill the void?

Perhaps you will join us.

May this season be a time of renewal by actively seeking God’s will, God’s grace, and God’s gifts.