episode #35 // Sacred Rhythms: Finding Joy in Fasting with Cortney Norris
This week, I chatted with Cortney Norris about the power of fasting as a spiritual rhythm in our lives as believers in Christ. Oftentimes, we neglect to fast simply because we don’t understand it nor see it as a necessity. But Jesus instructed us to fast, and the Bible is full of verses that point to its significance. This rhythm is not simply to get something from God, but rather to get to know Him.
In this episode, we discuss the spiritual benefits of fasting and why so many in the church today have fallen out of this important spiritual rhythm and discipline. You aren’t going to walk away with more rules, but rather a deeper understanding of how fasting can bring you into a more intimate relationship with Jesus.
If you’ve ever wondered about the importance of fasting and questioned how to get started, this episode is for you!
MEMORABLE QUOTES
The spiritual disciplines that we all have…I call them responses.
There is an actual response that you have to something that is occurring.
You’re meeting God where He’s at.
God is wanting to bring life where there is death.
There is a call to respond to God because He is a God of life.
The emptying of ourselves puts us in a posture where we say, “God I want life, and I want beauty, and I want blessing.”
I want Your life. I don’t want abundance just to have abundance.
The transformation that comes from fasting does not come without faith.
Faith plus the response truly equals transformation, whether we see it immediately or in process.
Discipline without faith is just religion.
We have a hard time engaging pain, loss, transitions, and our own brokenness along with the brokenness of others.
Start with the meal of the day where you feel like you zone out the most. Spend that time…just you and the Lord. You could read one section of Scripture and sit and think about the Scripture throughout your lunch break.
Social media is a massive thing that takes our attention away from the Lord. It’s got to be silenced at some point in our life.
Take social media off of your phone for a week and see what happens. Every time you pick up your phone to click on that app that is no longer there, pray. Seek the Lord. You’ll be amazed at what happens.
He is a relational God. He is looking for people who will behold Him.
Who you behold is who you become.
You’re not fasting just to fast, you’re fasting to seek Him. He is the prize. He is the treasure.