Fasting and Prayer

I've been thinking about prayer and fasting a lot lately. There is so much to think about with a subject like this. Some may argue the importance of fasting, or what the best way is to pray. I believe both need to be an integral part of our lives.

Recently, I went to Mexico to work with a missionary who was working in that field. I learned a lot while I was there about the discipline it takes to fast regularly and to pray often and hard. While I was there I joined him in fasting twice a week and having a prayer service morning and evening. And I sensed a greater level of spiritual vitality while I was doing that. I didn't really feel a difference, but I could see it because I was able - by God's grace - to pour myself out in greater ways than I had ever imagined before. Now maybe I should have maintained that rigid schedule, but I didn't really feel the need to when I got back home. I do, however, still try to start each day early to leave plenty of time to commune with the Lord and read His Word. I also try to fast one day a week. I'm not as faithful as I should be, but with God's help I want to improve.

I think, though, that we are often motivated by the wrong reason in fasting and spending more time with God. It hit me, in fact, only just now... as I was writing this post! What we fail to realize sometimes is that we need to draw closer to God and discipline ourselves, not for our own good, but so we can pour ourselves out more and more for the sake of the kingdom of God. Remember what I said earlier about being able to pour myself out in greater ways than ever before, and that I couldn't really feel a difference? I think I couldn't feel a difference because, as God poured more of His life into me, I was pouring more of that life out for His kingdom. I believe that is the whole point of disciplining ourselves to much prayer and fasting. We must be "channels" for God to pour His life through and out to those around us.

Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down.

I like being on top of a mountain. It's so beautiful... peaceful...serene. Whenever I come to the top, I like to sit and drink in the beauty and majesty of God's creation. It's a lot the same way in our spiritual lives, as well. We like to be "on top of the world", where we can more easily see the "big picture". When we are on the mountain of spiritual victory, we can take a little time to acknowledge that God has been working in our lives and to thank Him for the spiritual growth we see.

But it isn't so easy to see the Lord's hand in our lives when we are in the valley. From above, the valley looks beautiful because we can see it from God's perspective. But when we descend from the mountain into that lush growth, we find that the path is choked with weeds, trees darken the path, and it is easy to stumble and fall. At times like this it is easy to get discouraged and think it isn't worth the trouble. But God knows the end from the beginning, and He is using this difficult trial to make you beautiful.