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fasting is so hard and so easy at times
but at this present moment i am craving chochlet any chochlet allowed such as for example peanut chews like i hear some chochlets are allowed abouna before was giving out peanut chews he said it does not break your fast
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but honestly fasting is really hard soemtimes. i also agree with that.
+mahraeel+
y cant u bee addicted to anything?
+mahraeel=
forgive me for my many questionss=]
I believe its not so much hunger as boredom, distractions or being upset that triggers this urge. During these times, just pray and focus on the blessings we've got. Ask, "do we REALLY need the nourishment that this snack provides?" Think of the skinny starving children in parts of Africa and Asia. What have they done to deserve this? Pray for them, that the blessings of God may reach them also. If the urge is still there, try and settle for a permitted alternative. Divert your mind from the present setting - say go for a walk in a park, or read an uplifting book or take a nap. Actually, different methods work for each of us.
Read writings of the Church Fathers, how they kept themselves occupied during fasts - I understand that some of the monks cultivated routines such as weaving baskets or engaging in farming activities to keep their minds from wandering during fasts and prayers. In our setting, may be we could try cleaning our room or doing dishes - something that doesn't tire you out. No, don't go online and surf the net or watch TV, its my personal suggestion.
It will still be a struggle because Satan is out there, trying his best to tempt us. Read Scripture and the Agbeya. It should help.
Best wishes & God bless,
Paulos
from what I understand if you love a certain food.. u shouldn't eat it during the fast. This is the point of fasting, we are building self-control. If peanut chews are ur favorite food and during the fast u eat them, then what have u gained? You will receive the most blessing if you stay away from that certain food you craved.. but if your really concerned about this, then i suggest you go over this issue with your father of confession.
Guys, its not about the food AT ALL. You are missing the point here, "It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man but what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man." Food is the external attribute of fasting. You need to fast from SIN, controlling your outward desires is only a means of controlling your inwards easier, however its not the ends. As St. John Chrysostom says: "What good is it if we abstain from eating birds and fish, but bite and devour our brothers?" We also need to control our tongues, tempers, basically our sins. If you have mastered fasting and you feel its getting easy for you, than what have you gained? Forget the food, its better to fast from the sin and eat meat then to stop eating meat and continue to sin. If you've only changed what you eat what have you gained? All you did was change your diet.
Guys, God is going to look at the heart at the end of the day. Not if you fasted without milk or cheese or whatever(I'm not saying its not important but you need to get priorities straight). If you really fasted with your heart and only gave up one thing, then God will accept that more than if you gave up everything and never changed your ways.
God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
[quote author=Tεκcoνι μέσα Πεχριcτoc link=topic=7456.msg98502#msg98502 date=1229560204]
from what I understand if you love a certain food.. u shouldn't eat it during the fast. This is the point of fasting, we are building self-control. If peanut chews are ur favorite food and during the fast u eat them, then what have u gained? You will receive the most blessing if you stay away from that certain food you craved.. but if your really concerned about this, then i suggest you go over this issue with your father of confession.
Guys, its not about the food AT ALL. You are missing the point here, "It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man but what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man." Food is the external attribute of fasting. You need to fast from SIN, controlling your outward desires is only a means of controlling your inwards easier, however its not the ends. As St. John Chrysostom says: "What good is it if we abstain from eating birds and fish, but bite and devour our brothers?" We also need to control our tongues, tempers, basically our sins. If you have mastered fasting and you feel its getting easy for you, than what have you gained? Forget the food, its better to fast from the sin and eat meat then to stop eating meat and continue to sin. If you've only changed what you eat what have you gained? All you did was change your diet.
Guys, God is going to look at the heart at the end of the day. Not if you fasted without milk or cheese or whatever(I'm not saying its not important but you need to get priorities straight). If you really fasted with your heart and only gave up one thing, then God will accept that more than if you gave up everything and never changed your ways.
God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
ΙΙδιακον is right, fasting is a time where you should leave behind your earthly desires and seek to get nearer to God. Spend more time in prayer, the Bible and spiritual books and the more blessings the Lord gives you the more you will feel everything else in the world in useless and utterly worthless...
God bless you
Please pray for my weakness
[quote author=bigeee link=topic=7456.msg98492#msg98492 date=1229556426]
but at this present moment i am craving chochlet any chochlet allowed such as for example peanut chews like i hear some chochlets are allowed abouna before was giving out peanut chews he said it does not break your fast
The urge to eat certain stuff is just one of the ways by which we are tempted to waver from fasting. Some guys I've met have become so enslaved to habits that they cannot give up smoking or having a drink or even playing golf during the fasting period. Other vulnerabilities that cause us to stumble while fasting are anger, jealousy, distraction, boredom, impure thoughts and deeds etc.. Therefore, fasting is something that should be observed more in spirit than in letter. Ultimately its a question of priorities and to what extent we are willing to let go of our desires and submit ourselves to His service.
may God give you all strength in the fast, remember it's more important to have a good character than fast (see the book of Joel) so don't spend too much time moaning about your fast ;)