HOW IS IT JUNE ALREADY?!
I do NOT understand how time can move so quickly and soooo sloooowly all at the same time. Whether or not I’m able to wrap my mind around it, here we are! The arrival of June means that summer is VERY close… and that many of you have completed the fasts you committed to in May! Well done 🙂
If you’re like me, you’ve wasted no time eagerly re-introducing, say, sugar, for example, to your day. (It’s not even 11am on June 1st and I already have a butter tart here beside me and my morning coffee.)
As much as I’m loving Sugar-Induced June, I feel the Lord gently inviting us to reflect back on Bland-as-Anything May.
Because while the purpose of our corporate fast was to intercede on behalf of those being hit hardest by the pandemic, fasting is, by nature, a wildly personal thing to engage with as well. I know I was encouraged many times throughout May knowing that others were fasting with me. Even though we were fasting different things and approaching God in different ways, I felt stronger in my own journey knowing that I was not alone.
I’m hoping that if you were able to join in with us, that you were also encouraged and uplifted by this experience… challenged and stretched too.
One of the things that stood out to me most about Karyne’s sermon on Sunday was when she spoke about the correction of God. “Correction from God is worth more than gold… Take his correction as a gift.”
My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
Proverbs 3:11-12 (NLT)
Regardless of where we begin or how we choose to posture ourselves in a fast, not only does our attention shift to the Lord in a new way, fasting almost always leads us to a place of increased humility. A place of recognizing our own weaknesses and our overwhelming need for God to intervene.
As we fast and pray, we become more aware of what God is speaking to us. Sometimes he addresses the situations we’re bringing before him, sometimes he even answers our prayers with long-awaited breakthroughs! More often than not, and even more valuably, I’ve found that I’m brought to a place of correction; needing to realign myself (my heart, my mindset, my habits, etc.) to the heart and will of God…
I’m pretty sure I spent more time complaining about not having sugar or whining about how tired I was rather than actually praying. Matthew 6 literally addresses exactly this:
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18)
More than anything, I think that fasting is actually about deepening relationship.
Karyne also encouraged us to go to the source of love! To choose to receive the love of God that is offered to us. By allowing ourselves to be loved by the Lord we are actually opening ourselves up to seeing what love truly looks like. Fasting is one of the ways we can posture ourselves to move closer and closer to The Source of Love. And as we are realigned with the heartbeat and heartbreak of God, we will always be led to love others.
Will we be people who choose to receive the love of God? Even when it leads us to sacrifice? Even when it leads us to sacrifice done in secret? What about when his love leads us to correction?
Maybe our view of fasting itself needs some correction and realignment…
The choice is yours and yours alone. I will warn you though. As you choose to receive more of this life-changing love, your life will begin to look entirely different. You’ll find yourself wondering how you got there… kinda like how you feel when you realize the seasons have suddenly changed. Except this time it won’t simply be passing time that brought you to this new place.
It will be a personal encounter with the richest and purest Love that compels you to action… Love that leads to obedience… Love that invites you time and time again to love the Lord your God and to love your neighbours as yourself.
Be blessed as you press in even closer to the one who loves you without abandon!