Chasten those we Love and Fasting

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 95, wherein the Lord is displeased with some of His disciples. I am again struck by the statement the Lord makes that He chastens because He loves us. It is such an easy thing to forget. When one is being punished, it sure feels like the person doing the punishing has anything but the other party's best interests at heart.

And yet that is exactly what is happening. We care enough to give a punishment so that the other person or persons can learn that the behavior they are exhibiting is wrong and needs to change. Sometimes all that is required to help them learn that is to let them suffer the consequences of their own actions. All too many parents these days though are far more interested in trying to be their children's friend than they are their parent. I don't know where this ridiculous notion came from. Who in their right mind thinks that an 8 year old needs a 40 year old friend instead of a Mom?

Friendship between children and parents really only comes once the child reaches adulthood. If you can manage to be the child's friend when times are good and be the parent when times are bad, then it's fine. But what most people find is that when the child is being punished and the phrase, "I thought you were my friend" is flung back at the parent, the parent caves in. I just sadly shake my head when I see it. That phrase never worked on me even when I heard it from my friends as a teenager. I have never understood how people can be guilted into doing things. But my wife likes to tell me I am not the norm.

But I have already talked about this before back when we read Helaman so I want to switch veins. The Lord chastises His disciples saying that they walk in darkness at noon day and explains that this is the reason He has commanded them to meet together often to fast and to pray. I have always wondered why fasting is so efficacious. How does going without food and water for two meals accompanied by prayer manage to accomplish so much?

We read in the scriptures of people learning the things of the Spirit, of becoming scriptorians, of overcoming temptations, and so much more, all from fasting. I understand that fasting is to help us gain mastery over the physical body and to help us become more in tune with the spirit. And in that sense, I can understand how fasting can help us know the scriptures better. Only when we read with the Spirit as our guide can we truly understand the scriptures, especially the Bible, and understand how they can be of benefit to us. But the scriptures always attribute so much more to fasting than just gaining the Spirit.

Perhaps it is just the willingness to sacrifice that does it. I'm honestly not sure. I do find it interesting that fasting is something most other churches still do. I have a friend who is a member of another faith and she is doing a 40 day fast for lent that involves giving up meat, dairy, processed flour and refined sugars. I am proud of her for doing such a thing and think it's good that other religions still teach their members to fast and that fating is a good and proper way to show devotion to God. I have never heard a member of another faith teach fasting as a way to supplicate God though.

I must admit that all too often I fast each month just because that is what we do and it is what is expected of me. I do have a purpose to the fast as we are asked to do, but it is definitely not something I look forward to and quite often is something I dread as the beginning of the new month approaches. It is a weakness of mine I need to overcome I suppose. So one could argue that it is especially important for me to follow this commandment and do it until I love it as the old saying goes. Perhaps I should fast to better appreciate and gain a truer understanding of fasting. That is after all what it's purpose is. It is most certainly something I will need to work out with the Lord.

The one thing that cannot be denied, is that fasting works and is important. The Lord Himself tells us over and over in the scriptures and through his modern prophets that fasting is important. And if there is one thing I have learned it is that when the Lord continues to reiterate something in the scriptures and through His prophets, it is important to pay attention to it. Who knows? Maybe this weekend one of the Lord's representatives on the earth will talk about it and it will answer all my questions. We shall see. Until tomorrow.