February Fast - 21 Days Of Seeking HimSample

Self-help is a Contradiction.

The self-help industry is a multi-billion dollar industry! The idea of it is that you can help yourself. A lot of this comes down to a humanistic belief that deep down, humans are good. If that is the case, then surely anything bad in us is someone else’s fault or we can help ourselves out of whatever issue we face.

The problem though is that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. Yes, we were created in the image of God, but every time we make a choice based on what “self” wants, we move further and further away from the original design. Sin dehumanises us.

The only self-help we need is help to deal with our “self”. Our “self” is what gets us into trouble and limits us. Anything with “self” attached to it is ultimately limited, whether it’s our confidence, speech, or anything else.

Fasting says that our trust is in Jesus. It’s only Jesus who can redeem our “self” and only Jesus who can change our hearts with all its desires and wants.

As we give up our “needs” through fasting, we slowly realise that they weren’t needs but merely “wants”. And in that place, where Jesus is all you have, we realise that Jesus is all we need!

Jesus, I recognise that my self is what gets me into trouble again and again. I choose to put my ‘self’ aside in order to focus on you. You are what I need and as I give up on what I want, I pray that you will continue to change my heart until what I need is all I want. Amen.