Perfect Timing for a Soul Reset

I knew this was coming. I was enjoying the Rev. Desi Sharp's sermon series based on the book Soul Reset. The book and her sermons include suggested actions to take, and many have helped me get out of my comfort zone.

I'm not sure I'm ready for this week's.

The spiritual discipline is fasting. I felt certain it would include food. When it showed up Sunday night, in time to prepare for Monday's discipline, I saw the first one would be social media.

Knowing I'd be fishing with my husband the next day, I saw little chance I would stay off social media. 

Truth is, I don’t see me fasting from food or social media for a whole day any time soon. Perhaps I’ll consider giving up a favorite food and some habitual aspect of social for the week. I’ll definitely need to pray about this!! (I also need to listen to the Goodrich UMC livestream for Desi’s sermon. Maybe she says something to make fasting seem more doable!!)

The next day was an even bigger surprise and challenge. I had known food would be one of the fast focuses one day. Words caught me by surprise!

As it turned out, I partially fasted from social media Monday, considering that Gene and I fished at Leeper and my first mention of it on Facebook was Tuesday morning.  (My social media presence Monday involved reading, maybe commenting and sharing things posted by others.) I suppose it helped that I didn’t catch anything and Gene only caught three. It also helps that my phone’s storage is close to capacity, without room for many more photos until I push some to other places. 

Still, awareness and prayers regarding spiritual disciplines and fasting were also factors that kept me from taking and posting selfies or photos of nature’s fall beauty, even when instead of the sunshine I faithfully awaited, we received rain. And kept on fishing!!

I pray to be willing to fully practice each of these disciplines. I just don’t think it will be this week. And a big part of my SOUL RESET is to know that’s ok. I don’t have to do this perfectly, today or ever. The goal is to grow closer and closer to Christ, to live lightly and freely with Him. Amen!