It's Better To Be ________ Deprived Than God Deprived

Hi Everyone! 

I am so happy to be back! My fast is now over!

For those who don't know, I fasted from social media, netflix and blogging for 21 days to start off the New Year. I have to say, it was much more beneficial that I thought it would be. & by beneficial, I mean it gave me the ability to "unplug", focus more time on things I wanted to (like prayer!) and helped me understand self-discipline and self- deprivation a little bit more.

I realized how consumed I was by social media and how much time it took away from things I love! I literally felt like I couldn't be away from social media because I would "miss" what was going on but in actuality, I was paying way too much detail and time in other people's lives than I was my own. I was too pre-occupied worrying about everyone else than really focusing on Aisha. 

After 3 weeks of separation, I got onto social media this morning, checked up on people and things and literally realized- wow, I didn't miss that much. & the people/things I always wanted to check up on because I needed to know what was up, didn't give me any sort of gratification this morning. 

The main thing I realized: How much time and energy I was giving to people and things when I should have been focusing my energy on myself, my family, my dreams!!! Not to mention how crazy that sounds, right?? 

I was happier with myself because I wasn't comparing myself to girls in bikinis on the fitness pages on instagram, I felt more self worth and fulfillment because I focused my energy on the Lord and on things/people I love, and I also lost a lot of anxiety I had when comparing myself to others because their instagram showed them doing something I thought was cooler than what I was doing. 

That was not the point of my post, believe it or not. What I wanted to talk about today was how I learned about self-deprivation- and the importance of it. 

I am a person that has let anger consume me, jealousy overpower my reasoning, the need of control to impact my decision making. 

All of those things were self-consuming, when Jesus has called His children to be selfless servants. 

I had to put things that consumed me aside to honor God and be intentional with our relationship. 

In a sermon at our church, a guest pastor said this: "It's better to be ____ deprived than God deprived". 

That was eye opening for me. What would I give up to have God every single day, every single second, for the REST. OF. ETERNITY. 

I WOULD GIVE UP ANYTHING.

I want to live for what counts. Jesus. 

I am drawing the line of conviction. I am drawing the line of association. I am drawing the line of confidence.

I don't have to give up my morals or beliefs or compromise those things to please others or because someone else thinks their way of doing things is the right way. I don't have to settle to fit in or be like everyone else. Because God has set me apart from the world and from myself to be completely reliant on Him.

So I will give up relationships, material things, the need for control, and everything else that can separate me from God because He is the only thing I need. 

I no longer want to be independent from Him. 

Who knew fasting from social media would show me all that?! 

He is good, ya'll!

xoxo,

Aisha

More on the sermon of drawing the line: The Year of the Line