First Week of Daniel Fast: Focus On Your Own Plate

Focus On Your Own Plate: Lessons From Week One Of 

My Daniel Fast

You have spent minutes going back and forth through the menu. Everything looks so appetizing. After the waiter has come back twice to get your order you finally settle on what you decide to eat. For the moment you are content with your choice, happy with what is coming your way. Your food arrives. Steam is rising off the hot contents of your plate, the aroma hits your nostrils, and your stomach is grateful. Everything on your plate seems amazing, fulfilling, and worth while. That is until you look at the person’s plate next to you. They ordered something different, something new, something you have never tried. You find yourself gazing, salivating over what is on the other person’s plate. And, suddenly what you ordered doesn’t seem so appetizing anymore. I am finding that life is a lot like that too.

One of the things that makes me doubt myself most is when I compare myself to others. I look over on someone else’s figurative plate and see a devoted boyfriend, a dog I so desperately want, good pay, and exotic vacations around the world. Then suddenly my single dogless, non-traveled life doesn’t seem so great anymore. This was especially hard for me when I was homeless. I would scroll through Facebook for sometimes hours at a time longing for the joy I saw in other people’s posts, and pictures. Now that I am focusing more on my personal walk with Christ and what He has blessed me with that curse of comparison doesn’t haunt me as much. But, as I started this Daniel Fast, once again God has had to remind to keep my focus on my own plate. 

I decided to chronicle my Daniel Fast on this blog and on social media because this is an experience unlike anything else I’ve ever done. My life is an open book anyway so it seemed like the natural thing to do. The minute I started posting about my Daniel Fast I was met with jokes, opposition, and a whole lot of shade. “Why are you denying yourself,” people said. “You are not authentic because you are sharing your fast on social media?” The comments made me second guess my motives. I lost my focus of my plate. Then a friend that committed to doing the fast with me broke fast on New Year’s Eve to eat food with her family. I felt disappointed, and let down. Then I heard God’s still voice ask me again, “Who is this fast for? Why are you doing this? Is this for me, people’s approval or for yourself?” In that moment I had to remember that this fast was to strengthen my self control and find some direction from God.  If I keep the right focus the shade the world serves me for deciding to fast won’t matter at all. And it shouldn’t. 

I learned this week that if we are constantly looking over at other people’s plates i.e lives we will never find contentment in our own. We will always never feel good enough, successful enough, pretty enough or full. But if we stay focused on what God has placed on our plates alone we will always feel prosperous. And, I truly believe that God will not bless us with more if are not content with what He’s already provided us with. 

This has been a valuable lesson, one I will continue to remember beyond the 21 days of my fast. Interestingly enough self control with the food has been the easy part. I have prepared meals in advance and managed to steer clear of temptations. I even went to Barnes and Noble on a coffee meeting and drank plain hot water. That is a major step for me y’all.