Have you ever been hangry? - Stephen Nelson

Scripture:

And when you fast, don’t put on a sad face like the hypocrites. They distort their faces so people will know they are fasting. I assure you that they have their reward. When you fast, brush your hair and wash your face. Then you won’t look like you are fasting to people, but only to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:16-18 CEB

He said to me, My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness. So I’ll gladly spend my time bragging about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power can rest on me. Therefore, I’m all right with weaknesses, insults, disasters, harassments, and stressful situations for the sake of Christ, because when I’m weak, then I’m strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I’m usually pretty friendly, but sometimes I’m rude, irritable, and downright mean. It happens when I’m hangry. Hangry is a new word to me. My sister introduced it to me a few months back. It’s the anger and nastiness that wells up in a hungry person and can be instantly cured by food. I’m ashamed to say I’m hangry everyday and often my wife, Jess, gets the worst of it.

Jess always seems to call just before I’ve got a chance to eat. It’s a recipe for disaster. I’ll answer the phone with no patience or love, I offer no empathy, I hurry her through the conversation, and I am frustrated by the slightest requests. Besides my poor treatment of her, the worst is my perception of the situation. To me the whole experience was an annoyance—as if something wrong had been done to me. I don’t notice until later what a terrible husband I’ve just been.

Hangry reveals what’s inside me. I wish that weren’t true, but it is. When I feel good, it’s easy to command the energy and poise needed to be kind and gracious. But hangry strips my energy. I’m suddenly weak. I need help. I need to be made more like Christ in the deepest places of my heart. It’s humbling.

Fasting makes us hangry—at least if we’re doing it right. No matter what you’re fasting from, if it’s something you truly love and have given up to push yourself toward dependence on Christ, you know hangry. Fasting accomplishes its goal when it reveals the worst in us and calls us to humbly ask for forgiv
eness and Christ’s transforming work in our hearts.

Heart transformation must lead to action. That’s why I call Jess back and apologize. As you fast this season, don’t let hangry win in the battle for your heart. Open yourself to grow through weakness.

Stephen Nelson, Youth Minister at 1st UMC

This is part of a daily devotional series running through the Lenten Season (March 5-April 20th). Please feel free to comment below and share it with your friends and family. 

 If you would like to receive these by e-mail please visit www.1stchurch.org to sign up.