I have been asked by a couple people to talk about it. If you don’t know what it is, my wife and I started what we labeled a “consumption fast” on January 19th. We are only using our money for bills and groceries. This obviously helps us financially, but more importantly we came to realize how attached to stuff we are, and this grand scope that consuming had in our lives. It was the brutal reality that our lives had been far too involved with consumption on a spiritual level. In many ways this is at the core of what it means to be an American, so Christians should take note.
Why talk about it?
Frankly, I think others should do it. Most of us have tried a food fast, a lent fast, or a chocolate fast. Ha! Jesus expected that following him meant sacrifice. If you are not making choices that put him in control, rather than allowing yourself to get whatever you want, then is it possible you have missed part of his message? Years ago when I started going to the Abby for a night, the silence was like this mirror into my heart. Silence showed me how much sin and junk I had, which was normally distracted by all the white noise of life.
And this fast is like that mirror. This is an issue that has exposed my character, habits, and discipleship. My character formation over years has been the instantaneous gratification of the things I want. Actually this makes since in light of some of my more dysfunctional relationships in college.
Do I buy stuff because I need it, or because I want others to know I have that thing? And for everyone, “it” will be different. Will a 1200 square foot house work, when the 2000 will make your friends notice? Is it the TV size? The latest laptop? Ladies, is it the shoes? Things are never bad, but you have to be honest about why you want those things, and the way in which you want them?
What have I noticed that changed?
As I said elsewhere, I can’t buy books on Amazon (meaning I have to read the books I’ve got that I haven’t even read), CD’s, going to the movies, restaurants, shopping for clothes, cigars, Dairy Queen, and the little items that you grab at the store on a whim. I used make a habit out of going to the drive thru to get food, rather than waiting 15 minutes to drive home, or bringing my lunch to work.
The one time we went out during the fast was for my birthday. Red Lobster never tasted so good! And typically I get crab legs, and just devour them. This time however, I savored every bite, and the last few bites were so delicious, because I knew it was going to be a while before I would have them again.
I have noticed it is so much easier to be generous, and we were already pretty generous. Things don’t seem to have the same hold over me, and giving is much easier. I guess I don’t feel like it’s mine, and it truly is God’s. We all say that, but I’m not sure we live that? There is a spiritual parallel here. Are you primarily a spiritual consumer, or do you look to give yourself away?
Anytime that I have the urge to buy something, an object I am craving, my attention and focus is immediately on Jesus. I guess this is the point of a fast, but what I realized is how much more I focused on Jesus. Ha! That means, wow, I think about getting more stuff a lot during the week. I realize how much advertising manipulates me, and how often I really don’t need the thing I want.
How about any advice?
- Plan ahead for groceries. If you run out of groceries near the next paycheck, take the extra time to go to the grocery store again. Yes, it is more convenient to hit a restaurant or drive-thru, but give this a shot.
- Like any fast, it is better to set a specific goal. Maybe it’s a week or a month.
- If you already have a tight budget and only spend on groceries or bills, then find other areas of your life where you over consume. Consumption is not just buying things. Is X-box a type of consumption?
- Be accountable to someone. Trust me when I say that will find a way to cheat. LOL.
- Don’t just do a fast to do it, so make sure you really want to examine your heart honestly, and be open to the Holy Spirit revealing some ugly things you were unaware of previously.
- If you try it, encourage other people that may want to give it a shot.
Cheers.
Rick
Beth
I did this about a year ago for six months after reading about “the Compact” out in San Francisco. See this Google search for details. The interesting difference there is that they choose not to stop buying anything, but just not anything new (other than underwear and shoes, I believe).
It was an interesting experience and I may try it again. One interesting point that came up – at one time I was searching for a specific book and found it on Amazon both new and used. The used version was within a dollar of the new (and we’re talking an expensive book – like $60). Then what to do? In the end, I didn’t buy either of them. :o)