Fasting Eliminates Toxic Thoughts

Most people have toxic thoughts filled with negativity, pride and false expectations, stemming from the pain of childhood. When I first saw the futility of my thinking process, the only conclusion I could come to was that I was totally insane. I would try to think positive thoughts by thinking of love instead of resentment, faithful thoughts instead of worry, which would last about five seconds then I’d start to think how much a failure I was for not being able to control my thoughts.

Living in Colombia, I had the worst drain clog of my life. After a failure with a full container of Devil Drain Cleaner, I hired a professional “drain deplugger”. He rammed a coiled wire down the pipe but the sink remained clogged. As a last resort, he put a water hose down the pipe and turned on the water full power. Out spewed a stinky, black and brown sludge. As he wiggled the hose, more and more sludge back washed onto the floor. The kitchen was turning into a sludge swamp.Then came bigger, slimy chunks. Finally the blockage broke down and let the water pass.

Fasting is like that. It penetrates the blockage in the soul and stirs it up. It stinks and spews out everywhere, then the blockage opens and there is an experience of long-forgotten freedom. I can remember the day that the illusion fell away. I had worked so hard to prove myself worthy of love through achievement. When I realized my purpose was hollow and meaningless, I suffered an emotional breakdown and wept uncontrollably, walking around for days in an emotional vacuum. No longer did I know who I was. On the third day, the breakthrough came. I realized that God truly loves me, and that is enough. The words echoed through my soul in a way I had never felt before. At that moment, the sun broke through a hazy sky, and a white bird soared on an updraft. I soared with that bird. Love had set me free.

Fasting stills the mind. In the quietness, we can study our thought process. Worry, unrealistic fear, false pride, obsessive negativity and self-defeating thinking can be seen as thought sequences connected to triggers. During fasting, toxins released into the blood affect emotions and thinking. They cause feelings of weakness, discouragement and a loss of faith. Old emotions, memories and hurts stir powerfully. You face the full power of negative, toxic thoughts. At this time, many people give up the fast. For those who hold firm, fasting brings an inner-awareness that stills the soul bringing peace. We can take our burdens to Christ in true humility. When the breakthrough comes, there is a joyous awakening and a new freedom.

Cleansing Your Thought Life

Our imagination can create a work of art or a horror movie. When our thought life is negative, we live the horror movie. Philippians 4:4 states, …whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent of praiseworthy—think about such things…and the God of peace will be with you. During the fast, fill your imagination with thoughts of being thin, happy and energetic. See yourself eating healthy, and enjoy the feeling of being healthy. Dwell on the desire you have to be healthy. See the unhealthy foods damaging your body and hate them. Do these mental exercises repetitively like you are going to the gym. There is no set pattern or timing, but the more you think good thoughts the better you will feel and self-discipline will come naturally. Do it driving to work or during laundry. Do it until it becomes a lifestyle.

By Tom Coghill of Fasting.ws Articles  may be copied or reproduced as long as the back links to fasting.ws are intact and the author’s name is included.