The Sustainable Path: Fasting from Stuff

This Pathway challenges us to balance what we want with what we really need. Most of us make purchases out of desire, habit, or on a whim more often than we’d like to admit. Weekly grocery shopping excluded, this pathway’s challenge is to not buy anything for 40 days, unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you do end up needing make a purchase for school, work, or the kids, try shopping second-hand.

SUSTAINABLE Restrictions:

Although you probably will still need to continue to go grocery shopping, most of the weekly purchases we make are not absolutely necessary. Set aside one day a week to get your weekly shopping done - whatever works best for your schedule - and commit to not shopping any other time during the week, including online shopping. 

Consider taking this opportunity to invest in sustainable, long term solutions, such as reusable or produce bags, bamboo straws, or water bottles. Be intentional about eliminating waste or setting up a recycling or compost system for your house. Invest in a system that your whole family can understand and participate in. 

The Benefits: 

We are constantly bombarded by marketing that attempts to convince us that “more stuff” is the answer to everything. This style of fast actively tames our innate, materialistic desires and blocks out societal pressures to appear a certain way. We can be set free of the expectations that we set on ourselves, with the added benefit of being healthier for our budgets and pocketbooks. 

Roadblocks to look out for:

Especially if you love to shop, you should prepare to feel self-justification for items that are ultimately unnecessary expenses. If an unexpected but necessary expense does come up, that’s okay - but be sure to constantly ask yourself, is this something that I really need? Do I really need it now, or can it wait until after Easter?

Be Proactive:

Consider donating a portion of what you save by not spending out of habit, or go through your closets and dressers and donate any unused items (in good condition) from your household to a local charity or Goodwill. 

Consider taking this opportunity to invest in sustainable, long term solutions, such as reusable or produce bags, bamboo straws, or water bottles. Be intentional about eliminating waste or setting up a recycling or compost system for your house. Invest in a system that your whole family can understand and participate in.

Refocusing on God:

When you feel the urge to spend some cash, use that as a signal to reflect on and embrace that God is your provider and sustainer and will give you all the things that you need. If you do decide to go out for a fancy latte, bring your bible or a devotional book along and spend the time out of the house in conversation with God.

Breaking the Fast:

We recommend choosing one specific day a week as your grocery/thrift shopping day to try and consolidate all of the time/energy spent into a relatively short period of time. Go grocery shopping with a list and don’t stray from it, no matter how the weekly sales might tempt you. You might save money, but we are trying to break the habit of going with your impulses. Check the sales before you leave the house, but once you are in the store, stick to the plan! Use this same day/time to do any second hand thrift store shopping for any unexpected expenses that came up throughout the week. 

You can also break this kind of fast by going out to spend time and build relationships with others. Maybe you splurge by going out for coffee with a friend, or seeing a movie with the family, or having a drink over dinner with your spouse. Just make sure your motivation for doing so is relationally driven - not about the “stuff”!

Share a Meal on the Journey:

This fasting group will share a potluck meal together at 2810: a community gathering place on March 25th at 6pm. A perfect potluck link will be sent out as we get closer to the end of the fast.

Sign Up Now:

Are you ready to sign up to follow The Sustainable Path for Lent?

Signing up will allow that pathway’s leader to reach out with helpful tips and resources, related articles, and coordinate the community meal. Regardless of which lenten pathway you decide to take, we want you to sign up at the link below:

Want to check out the other pathways? Check out the details of The Traditional Path (fasting from food) and The Analog Path (fasting from technology) before making you final Lenten Pathway decision.