Sara passed this on to me, so I thought I'd share.
FAST and FEAST
Fast from judging others…feast on Christ dwelling in them.
Fast from emphasis on differences…Feast on the unity of life.
Fast from apparent darkness…feast on the reality of light.
Fast from thoughts of illness…feast on God’s healing power.
Fast from words that pollute…feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent…feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger…feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism…feast on optimism.
Fast from worry…feast on divine order.
Fast from complaining…Feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives…feast on affirmatives.
Fast from bitterness…feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self concern…feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety…feast on eternal truth.
Fast from discouragement…feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress…feast on truths that uplift.
Fast on lethargy …feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion…feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken…feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from shadows of sorrow…feast on sunlight of serenity.
Fast from idle gossip…feast on purposeful silence.
My Thoughts:
I love how they combine fasting and feasting. For me, it is hard to do something unless there is a behavior/action/intent/etc that I can use as a replacement. I think about it like any other behavior modification. Behaviors, good or bad, fulfill a need. It is unhealthy to prevent the need from being filled. Thus, a replacement behavior (one that is more positive than the one I'm changing) needs to be established. Make sense? It's like with Joe. If he's ripping his pants, he is fulfilling a sensory need that isn't being met. Instead of getting upset, his therapists and family try to find replacement behaviors (like a weighted blanket, massages, ripping paper) that allow him to get that sense of pressure or ripping while steering him away from ripping his pants. I believe the same thing applies to other human behaviors like suspicion, gossip, and gluttony. This Lent, I'm using these ideas to grow closer to God.
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