Day 3: The Turning Point
Daily Intention:
“I choose stillness over striving. I release what no longer serves me and trust God to fill the space.”
There’s something sacred about Day 3.
It’s the line most people don’t cross the wall where physical discomfort and mental resistance try to hold you back. It’s the day when your body is burning through its last excuses, and your spirit starts whispering, Keep going. You’re almost through the noise.
I woke up knowing this was a milestone. Every other fast I’d done ended here. Three days and done. But this time was different. This time, I wasn’t stopping at a finish line; I was walking into a breakthrough.
🕊️ A Strange and Spiritual Invitation
The day didn’t begin with clarity. It began with an interruption. With noise. With distraction. I meant to pray as soon as I woke up… but the phone was there. I checked it. Got pulled in. That old pattern again.
But even in the distraction, I felt the nudge to return to stillness. And I did.
And just when I settled in, something subtle but powerful happened. I received a message from someone I hadn’t heard from in a long time. Nothing major on the surface, just a simple, out-of-the-blue connection. But the timing struck me.
It was one of those small moments that make you pause, that stirs your spirit and whispers, “This is not random.”
Could it have been a coincidence? Sure. But I didn’t feel it that way.
In the quiet of this fast, I’ve become more attuned to God’s patterns, the way he nudges, confirms, and aligns. And in that small interaction, I felt it again:
“I see you. I hear you. Keep going.”
It wasn’t a breakthrough. It wasn’t a sign in the sky. It was just… a moment. But it was enough to remind me: this path is not just discipline — it’s alignment.
🧠 Emotional Tides & Mental Resistance
Today brought emotional waves. Frustration and fatigue crept in. I didn’t feel particularly driven. Motivation to work dropped. I found myself gravitating toward journaling instead, as if this reflection was more necessary than the emails in my inbox. And maybe it was.
I pushed through the day, but I wasn’t energized. I was mentally scattered, pulled in a dozen directions. Focus was fleeting. But then, something unexpected brought me back: a single cup of black coffee and a moment of honest journaling. The combination jolted something loose.
Clarity.
The mental fog lifted. Energy returned. I found myself thinking clearly, working faster. It was as if the act of releasing my thoughts onto paper cleared a path inside me. Writing, it turns out, is more than a discipline; it’s a detox.
And then joy showed up. Unexpected. Unforced.
I felt proud that I had made it past the three-day mark, proud that I was writing honestly, surrendering fully, staying in the discomfort without letting it define me.
🩺 Physical Realities
Physically, today was a dip.
Energy dropped significantly after I went out to the store. I felt drained, depleted, much more than if I’d stayed home. Movement took more out of me than I expected. Hunger also surged, especially around dinner time. The smells in the kitchen were intense, stronger than usual, almost like fasting had enhanced my senses.
I had to walk away.
For the first time in the fast, I couldn’t sit in the same room as my family while they ate. The cravings were too sharp. It wasn’t a lack of willpower, it was wisdom. I knew my boundaries, and I respected them.
A slight headache lingered through the day. Not enough to stop me, but enough to notice. I also woke up with a sore neck and shoulder, likely from sleep, but it added to the physical noise.
Despite the challenges, something fascinating happened: a mental flip. As the evening settled and I refocused, the hunger faded. My clarity returned. The craving passed.
That’s the fast in motion, not eliminating pain, but showing you that pain doesn’t have to win.
🙏 A Moment of Gratitude
I ended the day grateful. For resilience. For the signs. For the strange way God can speak through missed interviews, unexpected emails, and the scent of garlic bread you didn’t eat.
And I was grateful for this:
The realization that I don’t want to go back.
Not just to bad eating habits but to a life of distraction, disconnection, and false comfort. I see it now for what it is. And I’m done with it.
🔖 Anchor Statement:
“Today, I crossed a line. I’m not surviving the fast, I’m being remade by it.”
✍️ Side Notes from the Body (Transparency Log)
Hunger: Sharper than Day 2, especially in the evening; triggered by cooking smells.
Energy: Dipped heavily after errands. Rebounded after coffee and reflection.
Physical symptoms: Light headache; sore neck/shoulder from sleep.
Mental clarity: Poor in the morning, restored after journaling.
Mood: Low motivation, followed by emotional pride and mental clarity later.
Temptation: Strongest around dinnertime, walked away to preserve focus.
Water intake: Adequate; room for improvement.
Coffee/Tea: One strong black coffee; helped dramatically with clarity.
Spiritual moment: Unexpected message.
Breakthrough: Made it past previous fasting limit. Felt joy and clarity.