Fight for It: A 21-Day DevotionalSample

Today’s Devotional:

The day our son Jefferson got engaged, I was suddenly aware that time was running out—soon, he would no longer be under our roof. Jefferson and I spent a lot of time together when he was younger, but there was still so much I wanted to say to him and ways I wanted to prepare him for adulthood. So, I planned a mother-son adventure vacation to the Grand Canyon. We got to see incredible sights, hike together, and reconnect. Our vacation created time and space to have intentional conversations. It didn’t have to be the Grand Canyon—it could’ve been any place. The most important thing was the time set aside. I listened as Jefferson shared some of his fears about the future as he finished college and embraced new responsibilities. He also asked pretty tough questions, and I answered the best I could. The days on that trip became some of the most treasured days of my life. And some of those conversations didn’t end when we returned to Florida, because they laid a foundation for future ones.

Fasting is like the adventure vacation, and prayer is the continued conversation. Fasting is intentional time set aside to create space for connection and conversation with God so that we can know Him more and gain His perspective. But in the same way I had so many things I wanted to talk to Jefferson about, there are so many things that God wants to share with us that can’t be contained in 21 days. We can’t get so focused on the designated time of fasting that we can miss the opportunity for continued connection and conversation in prayer.

If you’ve never had a consistent routine with God, one way to sustain your connection after the fast ends is to start your day with what I call “The First 15.” Spend 5 minutes in worship, 5 minutes in prayer, and 5 minutes in God’s Word. Consistently starting your day with the First 15 is one way you can let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4).

If you already have Spiritual disciplines in place, consider ways you can invite God’s presence into your life in a greater way. Set calendar reminders on your phone to prompt you to give thanks and pray. Stretch yourself to memorize Scripture and begin to pray those verses over yourself, your family, your church, and beyond.

My time with Jefferson was a launching pad into a new season. In the same way, this time of prayer and fasting can launch you into a new level in your relationship with God. You can build upon the foundation you established during this time. Maybe you’ve talked to God about some hard stuff during this time of prayer and fasting—that’s exactly how relationships grow and are strengthened. God wants us to continue to turn to Him when it’s hard and trust that He can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Let the foundation you’ve built over these 21 days become the floor, not the ceiling. Keep persevering, keep praying, and keep the conversation with God going—there is so much more He wants to do in your life.

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Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Julie Mullins

Questions:

• What are some of the conversations with God that you’d like to continue long after the fast ends?
• In what ways did you come to know God better during these 21 days?

A Prayer to ‘Look Out’: God, thank you for all you did in my life during this time of prayer and fasting. Thank you for the opportunity to go to a new level in my relationship with you. I pray today for my friends, family, and neighbors who might be lost or hurting. Draw them to you and help me to reflect your love and truth in every interaction. In Jesus’ name, amen.