Retraining Sensitivity

 “And now, since they’ve lost all natural feelings, they have given themselves over to sensual, greedy, and reckless living. They stop at nothing to satisfy their impure appetites.” (Ephesians 4:19 VOICE)

 

I recently listened to a sermon by Dan Kent on fasting. He made several good points that I would like to share.

 

Pleasure does not equal happiness. Many of us want happiness but settle for the counterfeit high of pleasure. Our bodies know the difference. While pleasure releases a quick dopamine hit, happiness comes from elevated serotonin levels. Serotonin increase is associated with adequate sleep, exercise, connecting with loved ones, eating fruits and vegetables, spending time in nature, meditation, music, practicing gratitude, etc.

 

Hedonism is devotion to pleasure as a way of life. Hedonistic adaptation numbs our pleasure centers over time, reducing our capacity for enjoyment.

 

Addictions can come in the form of food, alcohol, drugs, social validation, gambling, shopping, etc. Addictions are habits that hold us in bondage. The Israelites left slavery in Egypt and wandered through the desert for decades. Similarly, our inner exodus from captivity to freedom can feel like a desert experience.

 

Conforming to patterns of cultural expectations can lead to enslavement. Social posturing and comparison do not lead to happiness. If the way we live is based on how others perceive us, we cannot have authentic relationships. 

 

Most of us have overloaded our senses for so long that our capacity for happiness has diminished. We have lost all natural feelings after giving ourselves over to sensual, greedy, and reckless living. Fasting is a form of voluntary withdrawal from our impure appetites for the purpose of increasing sensitivity. Our cravings might include decadent food, social approval, a constant desire for excitement, stimulation, novelty, noise, material goods, etc.  In order to retrain our senses, we may have to pull back on our excessive appetites for a time period. Then we can enjoy life without being swallowed by the world.