I’ve been issued a challenge by someone in the church to give up my Twitter usage for the 21 day fast that our church is going through. So, for the next 21 days, I’ll be disabling my twitter feed to my phone. The discipline will be not checking the webfeed.
For the record, this is not the only type of fast I will be participating in for the next 21 days, however, it is a fast. Fasting meals is a regular part of my routine. During these church inspired fasting times, I will add to my missed meals routine. The ultimate purpose of fasting of any type is to ensure that nothing – not food, technology, nothing – has such a hold on our life that it can become more important than having God hold the primary place in our heart.
I am sometimes concerned when I hear people talk about their fast and how God is going to do something as a result. Now don’t misunderstand me, there are clearly times that the Bible teaches us to fast for a breakthrough in a specific situation in our life. My concern is that it can be very easy for us to slip into a thought pattern where we are essentially blackmailing, or even extorting God to do what we want, instead of what is in God’s plan.
The person who has challenged me to this Twitter-fast has chosen to fast from Facebook. I wish them good luck, for they are much more connected to their Facebook than I to my Twitter… well, we’ll find out about the level of priority won’t we? 🙂
