For some reason all anybody ever talks about with fasting is being hungry, and what God is going to do. That’s fine and dandy, but over the past few years of fasting I have noticed some side effects that happen during a fast that people don’t talk about, but everybody wonders, and most even experience. So I thought I would share a few and see if any of them happen to you….if they do then you’re normal…..if they don’t, then I’m alone and as weird as ever.
- Crotchety – no food, or the food I don’t normally eat makes Pastor Craig a Crotchety man. I snap at my kids, I snap at my wife, I snap at the crossing gaurd at the school, it crazy! Normally i’m a pretty nice guy, but take away food and I am not a nice person. I even have a deal with Patti (my wife) before I fast, I say, “Hey babe I’m fasting and so when I get snippy I give you permission to correct me. Don’t let me get out of line.” She’s good at it. She might like it too much but ya know, what’s a guy gonna do?
- Sleepless in Seattle – Okay actually sleepless no matter where you live, but the point is that when you fast your body burns less energy becasue it is not working to digest food thus giving you more free energy. Of course it is a toss up becasue food also gives you energy. The difference is when you fast you will feel tired, but not sleepy. When fasting you will more than likely find that you can function very well on 5 hours of sleep a night and not require a nap….not that we really have the luxury of naps, but we can at lest dream can’t we? Which ironically brings me to the third one…
- Dream Weaver – You will have more dreams when you are fasting. Call me crazy but I believe that dreams are from God. Yep I do. Why yes it is in the Bible….Yep, a lot…..more than you think. SO when we fast we are voluntarily putting our body in second place to our spirits. SO if we don’t fill our time with TV, but seek him, then guess what? Yep you guessed it, we dream more. Of course, according to the Bible dreams need to be interpreted since they are symbolic. Gee now if you just had somebody that could Biblically interpret your dream…..Oh yea! I can. Email your dream to craig@southpoint.tv with the subject line “DREAM.” (Yes I am serious)
- Hunger Games – Yea, one huge side effect is that you will be hungry…..nope it’s not a game….and it’s not easy. One of the things that helps me is when I feel an overwhelming hunger pain or a craving for a cheeseburger I say a “Breath Prayer.” A breath prayer is a prayer that you can say in one breath. I say, “God I want you more than a Cheeseburger.” This is of course different than praying, “God I want a cheeseburger!” A breath Prayer helps realign our focus and helps us to carry on in our fast, past the bumps of cravings and pains. (It also helps to not talk about how hungry you are all the time).
- Forget Me Not – During a fast you will become more forgetful. It’s part of it. So if your anniversary falls during the next 21 days, just skip it and blame it on God. (of course I jest) (Maybe….)
Okay there are more, but what do you think? What are some side effects you have from fasting other than the ones I just mentioned, no copying!
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Good stuff Craig. You can also add the physical benefits as well. Your body takes fasting as time to cleanse and heal. Fasting is also a great way to break addictions; ask yourself how much coffee or sugar your body wants after a fast.
Regards,
Steve
Yes awesome! I like it! But why would you ever fast coffee?! I was unaware that one Could fast coffee and still survive.
Craig, I agree with your list. I was at pool league Sunday night and one of my team mates made the comment that I would be crotchety (her word) the next several weeks because we had started our fast. Evidently she had seen something on FB about it, because I hadn’t said anything about it. And dreams – I remember dreaming for the first time last night in a long time. Normally, I don’t remember my dreams, if I even remember dreaming at all.
To add to your list – increased bodily functions (especially at the beginning). Although I could list several, I won’t. I think it speaks for itself.
I was wondering if someone was going to go to the bodily functions….and of course it always has to be a man! The beginning and ending of all of our conversations.
GAS!!!!!!!!
No body has said headache. I thought that would be up there on the list.