21 Day Experience

For the past 21 days (3 weeks or 504 hours or 30,240 minutes...okay...it was a loooong time), my wife and I have been fasting.  We were challenged by a recent online message we saw at Life Church by Pastor Craig Groeschel.  Pastor Craig spoke about fasting and provided different examples of how it could be done.  So for my wife and I, it was not food that we gave up.  It was something that indeed would be difficult for us (especially me).  We gave up watching no TV.  No sports highlights, news, weather or traffic updates.  No DVD movies or online TV shows.  No Netflix online or anything else.  When others had the TV on, we could not watch it.   So my "fasting" was different than most others and I would like to share a few things I learned from this 21 day experience.

1. I discovered YouVersion.  During the message and the online chat, it was recommended to sign up for the 21 day reading plan.  The idea was there would be 21 bible verses and also some encouragement in your fast.  I had heard of YouVersion, but have never used it.  But it helped me tremendously, because instead of turning on the TV very EARLY in the morning I would use the mobile application and read my lesson for the day!  What a great way to get up and read God's Word first!
2. I struggled.  I watch alot of TV, no doubt!  I enjoy certain programs and watching sports.  It has become my relaxation time.  Those first few days were difficult.  TV had become an early morning and late night habit.  In fact, I moved the remote control from the side of bed to a dresser where the TV was so I could not easily grab it.  I am sure some of you struggled with whatever you gave up.
3. I messed up.  I know, we all mess up.  But I was doing really well for 14 days and then BAM it hit me.  Subtle as it was, I was watching a late night TV program that someone else was watching.  I didn't thinking anything about it at the time and it was only for a few minutes, but once I left the TV I realized I had done wrong and messed up.  I definitely felt bad and convicted.  But isn't that how we should approach those things that are wrong against God.  Bad and convicted?
4. I could do it!  Despite the temptations and wanting to watch the last two playoff games before Superbowl, my wife and I did it!  We learned that we can put God first.  We learned that there are other things we can do together instead of TV (shopping or even a puzzle).

So I shared what I learned and I pray that you too will challenge yourself to participate in a 21 day fast.  If you participated in this fast, what did you learn? I would love to hear about your experience.