On February 22nd, I, along with many others, committed to a 40-day fast. You can read the blog article explaining the beginning of the fast by clicking ~> HERE!
As each one of us decided to fast from different things, our goals were to draw closer to God, and pray more, especially over marriage. Many of us had a few other specific things that we were praying earnestly for.
I would love to briefly share with you my experience with God during the fast, however, I also hope that anyone who also committed to the fast would share their experience or any answered prayers they received. Please do not hesitate to share about your fast in the comments below! We are all eager to hear!
I was excited at the start of the fast! I knew God was testing my obedience and I was prepared to show Him that I was capable of exercising self-control. The point of the fast was to give-up something that would surely be missed, and in those times of “want” be reminded to pray. I chose to avoid eating sweets, coffee, and using my cellphone in bed. I was going strong for the first two weeks, but then my desire for the things I was missing grew more intense each day. However, as I stayed away from them, I was reminded to pray for the things I was seeking God for. I did not exercise my self-control perfectly the entire 40 days, but when I failed, I didn’t let that stop me. I pushed forward, eager to complete the fast I was dedicated to. The most difficult out of all of them, seemed to be the cellphone in bed. I often caught myself – or was made aware by my husband – that I was on my phone checking Facebook when I shouldn’t have been. Some habits are really hard to break, but I am a lot more aware of my actions now!
As much as I did feel like I was growing closer to God and praying more, I felt a little distracted during this fast. A few weeks into it I found out that I was pregnant! As excitement flooded my entire body, I also ended up really sick. Many days I found myself unable to crack open the bible, eager to get to bed earlier and sleep off some of the morning sickness. There should be no excuse, my relationship with God is very important to me, but the truth is I was distracted. On the other hand, my husband and I have both been praying for our marriage, for us as parents, and for the baby. So in other ways I do feel closer to God.
I really enjoyed committing to this fast. It helped me become more aware of my actions, making it easier for me to make the adjustments in life I feel God is calling me to make. It also showed me what areas I am weak in, and my hope is to continue to exercise self-control and obedience as I am transformed to be more like Jesus. I hope and continue to pray for marriages all over the world. I pray that husbands and wives are restored, marriages are reconciled, and that God gets positioned in the center of them! There were a few personal prayers answered that I am very thankful for, and still others that I will continue to pray for.
