DAY 4: STORMS
I wish I could tell you that fasting and praying makes everything go smoothly in your life.
The truth is, sometimes a fast will stir up all kinds of storms. So, if you are going through a storm during this fast, don’t be surprised—but be encouraged!
Storms are transitional. In other words, storms tend to occur when you are on your way from one place to another. Jesus was on His way across the Sea of Galilee when a bad storm came up. The storm was so fierce that the disciples on the boat with the Lord thought the boat was about to capsize and they would all be drowned. But Jesus was asleep during the whole thing. When they woke Him, Jesus commanded the storm to be still and all was calm (Matthew 8:23-27).
On another occasion, the Bible tells us that Jesus went for a walk across the stormy waters of the Sea of Galilee to catch up with the disciples who were already halfway to the other side in their boat (John 6:16-21).
Storms did not hinder Jesus or cause Him to turn back. Storms did not alter His course or His purpose. He still has authority over the storms and speaks peace to the storms of life. Jesus, our peace speaker, has given us His peace. He is Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our Peace.
Are you experiencing storms in this life that shake your faith? Meditate on His Name: Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our Peace.
Spending time in fasting and prayer—regardless of your circumstances—will help you to be rooted and grounded in your faith, ready to weather any storm of the economy, your health, your family or your job. God can cause you to flourish even during transition. Whatever storms may be raging in your life, my prayer for you during this fast is that you would take hold of that peace of God in a fresh and powerful way.
When we are forced to lean on God, there is room for him to work—and in storms, we are forced to lean... because we can't save ourselves. Right now I have a little bit more on my plate than what I think I would be able to handle: I'm starting to catch a cold, still have diarrhea from mexico, responsible for 150 7th graders starting next Monday, have classes at night with LMU, in addition to working with and serving zync youth... but having a little more than what I believe I am capable of on my own makes me lean on God—one of my main personal reasons for the Daniel Fast this season. Because I am not capable of doing everything on my own, there is a lot of room for God to work, and I am fully expecting him to deliver me on a daily basis, starting today! (First day meeting the rest of the veteran teachers at my school! Gonna need a lot of help from them.)