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Fasting
I realize we are beginning another fast on Saturday. I am just coming into the Coptic church and already I feel overwhelmed by all the fasting. I have already been through Great Lent and the Apostles fast and now comes the Fast of St. Mary. I failed miserably on the other fasts. Just how is all this fasting possible? It just seems too difficult, I just want to quit. How do you guys deal? Especially when you are expected to go most of the day without eating at all. I work at manual labor all day. I really don't think I can do it.
Comments
Your situation is not new so welcome to the club. ;)
There are 2 ways that the devil tempts people regarding fasting one is to make us stop fasting by making us think its too hard or if we can do it he makes us arrogant about it because of the people like us who struggle.
First we have to know why we fast. We all know that fasting without repentance is useless but a lesser known reality is that as St. Basil says repentace without fasting is also useless. Fasting presents a practice that is coupled with my entreaties to God really works wonders for my relationship with Him.
However I do really sympathise with your situation, I can imagine that it is very hard to do manual labour while eating a fasting diet (a lot of youth complain about how it effects their ability to play sport let alone a job). My understanding is that while we consume less meat we are actually healthier. I think one issue you may have is that you'll need to get more protiens which I think you can find in eatting beans.
Basically what I recommend is that you speak with your father and tell him your situation and discuss with him the impact its having on your work. As a general rule the fasts are very strict but we're honest with our fathers they can help us out...
God bless you,
CS
I realize we are beginning another fast on Saturday. I am just coming into the Coptic church and already I feel overwhelmed by all the fasting. I have already been through Great Lent and the Apostles fast and now comes the Fast of St. Mary. I failed miserably on the other fasts. Just how is all this fasting possible? It just seems too difficult, I just want to quit. How do you guys deal? Especially when you are expected to go most of the day without eating at all. I work at manual labor all day. I really don't think I can do it.
Hey Larry, as CS said, this isn't anything new...lol
Fasting is all about self control. It isn't more or less about the foods we eat. We fast so that we may strenghten our spirits. By controlling what goes in our mouths, we can learn to tame our earthly body and focus more on the spiritual one. There is a verse in the bible, I forgot how it goes exactly, but the general statement is that what goes into the body God may forgive, but what comes out of the body, God may not forgive.
Hope that helped.
sleepy
Fasting is about the Spirit and the spirt cant streangthin right away, do it over time. And plus as you further your experiences in fasting start being more picky with the foods you eat while at the beggining be a little more open.
Hope that helped,
wat u have to remember if ur new to this or if uve been doin these all ur life, with fasting u need guidance, ask ur confession father talk to him, he is ur guider in this world, he will know the answers, give ur problems, and it will be a workin process, sorta like training, goin easy then workin urself up...guidance
High five, that was really well said!
sleepy
It is hard to talk to Abouna about this. I feel very weak and unworthy, like I am just being a big baby about it. But it is very difficult to change a lifetime of habits overnight. So far I have been trying this time to skip just meat and hopefully later add or subtract the dairy. Cheese is really my weakness. :-X Thanks again.
anyway, i cant even fast for that long either, expecially when im in school(which is usually all year round :()
"Fasting is the champion of every virtue, the beginning of the struggle, the crown of the abstinent, the beauty of virginity and sanctity, the resplendence of chastity, the commencement of the path of Christianity, the mother of prayer, the wellspring of sobriety and prudence, the teacher of stillness, and the precursor of all good works. Just as the enjoyment of light is coupled with healthy eyes, so desire for prayer accompanies fasting that is practiced with discernment. "· St. Isaac the Syrian ·
Whats really important in fasting is not just changing food....u know.. not eating meat....etc...what really more important is fasting from your sins; fasting from evil. The whole point of fasting is to help u grow more spiritually. But if u fast and continue on being the same old person....changing food wont really help much. Along with fasting we have to pray, read the holy Bible, and most importantly we have to try to fast from the sins that we do. The whole point of fasting is to teach us humility. Fasting is a time when God looks on our humility "I humbled myself with fasting" Psalms 35:13 and He will have mercy on us if we truly repent from all our HEARTS. So when we fast we have to try to stop doing sins and lay aside all evil thoughts that might lie within our hearts. Fasting is a time when we have to change our inner self to become a whole new being ...a more spiritual person..which will bring us closer to God
then again fasting without prayer is not fasting