Becoming Like Jesus: Fasting and Abstinenceনমুনা

Trusting God more than you trust yourself.

Have you ever prayed for something so hard and so long that it felt like you were alone, yelling into space? Have you maybe laughed off prayer altogether because you don’t get the point or are afraid of what it will feel like if you try and don’t get the results you hope for? Esther’s story is a great reminder that we don’t have to do this alone and that our trust in God can carry us through the most overwhelming circumstances.

Let’s read.

Pray…

Heavenly Father, I need you today. Help me to seek you and find what you have for me. Jesus, thank you for who you are. Thank you for giving your life for me. Help me to have the same mindset and attitude as you today. Holy Spirit, help me focus on Jesus and your word right now. I trust you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Read…

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. Esther 4:15-17 NLT

Consider…

In Esther’s time of need, she turned to her family. There was a group of people she knew she could count on to pray for her. So for three days, the Jewish people in Susa all fasted and prayed together, asking God to grant Esther favor with the Persian king.

What’s crazy about this is Esther’s faith. Even though entering the king’s court uninvited was illegal and punishable by death, Esther was still willing to do it in order to protect her people from annihilation. Why? Because faith is not about our circumstances—it’s about God’s character. And His character doesn’t change. He is consistent and reliable. We can choose to trust in who He is, even when what’s happening around us feels confusing.

Fasting is a great way to remind ourselves that we can trust and depend on God. How so? It can be really easy to trust in what we can see and feel more than we trust in God. When we set aside food, something tangible that meets a physical need and satisfies our feelings of hunger, we start to realize that there is more to us and the world than what we can see and feel. There is a Source outside of us that sustains us and satisfies us. And He is more trustworthy than anything or anyone else.

Practice…

Esther had people around her to help her. Do you?

What’s a prayer you have been praying alone for a long time that you need to invite others into? With what things or in what parts of your life is it hard for you to trust God? Who can you invite to fast or practice abstinence with you to help remind yourself that God is trustworthy and you can depend on Him?

Whatever that thing is, don’t try to figure it out alone. You are part of a family—God’s family. And there are people in your corner.

Listen…

Find a comfortable place where you can continue to be alone with God. Maybe a cozy chair, a closet, or even sitting outside on a porch. Set a timer for 5-10 minutes. Next, ask God to speak to you. When you get distracted, consider it an opportunity to come back to Jesus by praying this short prayer that He taught us:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13 NLT

When the timer ends, thank God again for the time you got to spend with Him, then head into your day looking for opportunities to better serve Him and love others.