I truly want this year to be the year I grow spiritually but also lead others as well.
I have never fasted in my life. I think mostly because I thought that fasting was pointless without actually diving into the word, and praying too. Well this year after reading my Bible I was convicted by the Holy Spirit and realized that I really did need to change my thinking and do something I’ve never done before in order to see changes in my life.
Now I also committed to reading the WHOLE Bible in a year. This is something I’ve wanted to do in previous years, but honestly I knew myself well enough to know that I probably wouldn’t follow through with it. Well again, this year I really wanted to commit whole heartily because I am so overwhelmingly grateful for my life and everything that God has given me that how could I possibly not want more of Him?
I truly want this year to be the year I grow spiritually but also lead others as well.
So before I dive in on my personal conviction and why I decided to fast let’s answer a basic question.
What is fasting? For those of you that don’t know anything about fasting, It’s an abstinence from food and/or drink as an element of private or public religious devotion. Most churches fast for 21 days at the beginning of the year, and you fast as an offering to God by giving Him the first few days of the year. My church describes it as: a spiritual discipline designed to better connect us with God. It’s all about aligning ourselves with God and what He wants to do in our lives this year. There are different kinds of fasts, but the one I am doing is the Daniel Diet Fast, where you only eat veggies, fruits, legumes, and drink only water. Some people do for 21 days straight 24/7, but I will be doing a partial fast where I only eat that from the moment I wake up till 3pm.
Now most of you know that I am a foodie. I mean I love food in an unrealistic way. Well, while I was reading my Bible a few days ago, I kept reading some verses that kept talking about the same thing, food. I feel like God was showing me that fasting was something that I really needed to do this year. I needed to sacrifice something I loved so dearly and surrender it in a way I never had before.
The first verses that spoke to me was John 4: 31-34
In this chapter Jesus talks to the Samaritan women at the well, telling her about the living water that she so desperately needed. Well after that event, the disciples went up to Jesus and said “Rabbi, eat something.” Jesus then replied, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” His disciples were confused, they were like what..? Did Jesus eat already? Did someone already feed Him?
Then of course Jesus continues to clarify what he actually meant. He told the disciples that His ‘food’ was to do the will of Him who sent Him to finish His work.
Honestly, I feel like God spoke to me directly through these verses. I mean I am pretty sure Jesus was hungry, lets be honest, but He chose to not get distracted by his flesh but instead continue to spread the good news which brought him ultimate satisfaction (His food). I don’t know about you, but I want to be so consumed with sharing Gods love towards others that, that in itself can bring me my ultimate satisfaction. Which led me to realize that what I find in food is ultimate satisfaction. Seriously, I eat out ALL the time, I never cook, and eating out at cute places has become my god in a way. I am not satisfied with a day without eating out at least once. I hate eating at home, and when I feel sad or empty, eating out brings me comfort. Lol Crazy I know, don’t you just love having quite times where you can learn so much about yourself? I know I do.
Now for me my flesh wants food ALL THE TIME which parallels to the scripture, but for you it could be your boyfriend/girlfriend, your job, friends, social media etc that give you ultimate satisfaction and/ or gives you purpose.
Two days later, I read John 6:27 where Jesus says: Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”Well this verse finally made me want to start the fast, instead of feeding my flesh what I really need to feed is my spirit.
I work for food literally, lol I plan days around where and what I am eating. If I eat out once a day and that’s the only thing I do within that day, I will most likely conclude that day as being successful. So yeah, my flesh has had enough, and I work to freaking much on something that is not going to last or give me any eternal benefit. Its fleeing, just as most of the things we love and hold on to dearly in this world are.
In the end, we are only left with our soul, which gets fed by the spirit. I want to feed my spirit so much more than I feed my flesh. I want my spirit to be strong because in the end that’s the only thing that will matter, not how many cool places I ate at in my lifetime. And Yes, it will probably be really hard for me to fast and only eat limited things for 21 days, but if in the mist of that God speaks to me, and shows me the plans He has for me in this 2018 I know that it will be all worth it.
Not only that, but what are 21 days of ’sacrifice’ when Jesus gave His whole life for me for all the days of my life. He died so that I could have a relationship with Him, and here I am not taking advantage of that?? Honestly, amazing things happen when you fast because even though I don’t have personal experiences, I’ve seen it in my family. I truly hope after these 21 days are up I can give my testimony on my experience. I encourage you to start it, even if were a few days in, you never know what God has in store for you once you decide to give him the first month of the year.
If you would like to start it you can check out this prayer guide here
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