Ugh, do I have to fast?

This was my initial response when my pastor called us to fast a few years ago. I'd always been intrigued by it, but not enough to do it, I mean, give up fooooood, like for days... yea, don't sign me up for that. But I felt called and convicted so I did it, 46 hours was my first fast and it was amazing. Sadly, I've chickened out of my last few. I really want to do 3 days, but I get in my head about it.

Do you fast?

Did you know that you can fast things other than food?

A few years ago, God called me to write a book. Ok, many years ago, but a few years ago I really knew the purpose. But I haven't bene obedient. Then recently, I've been really feeling the pull to write, but what about, how? Last Summer, I even started writing, I have about 15 pages and then STANDSTILL, we got married, life happened, yada yada, you've heard all the excuses before, I just didn't know what to do, so I did nothing.

A few weeks ago, God called me to fast over my outline, so my intention was to fast Sunday-Tuesday....I made it until Sunday at 2:00. In the meantime, He'd given me other things to fast, sugar, coffee, my nighttime gummies, my fit tracker and exercise. None for 3 days... that I could handle. So yesterday, I woke up, did my devotionals, etc. I bowed my head and asked Him to provide my book information, my outline and what it would look like. He gave me the title a year ago.

I'm not kidding, it was magical. The words just kept coming, the pen didn't stop moving. From 10am-1pm I sat on my couch and prayed and wrote. If you've never felt called to fast, you're probably just not listening, scripture tells us all to fast as part of our worship, honestly, I'd like to start doing it once a week.

Try food, try something else, maybe social media or alcohol, maybe counting calories or spending money. Ask God to reveal to you what you should fast, when you should fast and for how long you should fast. Let Him lead the charge. And in those times where your belly growls and you feel you can't go on, ask Him to sustain you, to give you what you need, and He will.

He never calls us to comfort, He calls us to obedience, and I know that I'm not always great when it comes to that, but I want to be, I strive to be. But striving involves action, so just pick one thing to fast, then choose what you'll fast for. Do you have a marriage that needs healing, a habit needing broken, a family member who's lost, health issues, whatever it is, fast.

It may not be perfect but try. Then try again. He's not looking for perfect, He's looking for effort, for obedience. Will you step into this part of your faith today?

You will never feel closer to God than when you take this step of obedience, it isn't easy but by golly it's worth it!

#prayerandfasting