Daaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnggggggg Daniel

At the end of December of 2016, I was driving home from work and thinking about the new year. I turned the music off and said, "OK God. What do you have for me in 2017?" I immediately heard "Fast." UGH! (For those of you who don't know, I really enjoying eating.) I quickly got over my initial disappointment and thought, "No problem. I can do the 2nd week of January." (I was trying to be slick because I knew that there were a few times that I would be going out in the beginning of the year.) That didn't feel right. Then I thought, "How about the 21-day fast that I did back in 2011?" Nope. That wasn't enough either. "How about 30 days from January 2nd through January 31st? That's a long time and it's more than I had ever done before." (Again, I was planning around my New Year's Day brunch arrangements.) Hmmmm, something was still missing. "Fine...the ENTIRE MONTH of January. All 31 days." I knew deep down that this is what God wanted me to do. Even as I tried to negotiate in my head, He responded, "There are 30, 60, and 100fold blessings out there. The longer you fast, the more access you will have to the 100fold blessing. It's up to you." (Geesh! Well, when You put it that way, how could I refuse to do the entire month?!?!) So, here I am on day 12 and I am having a rough time. 

I am doing a Daniel fast which means that I am only able to eat fruits, vegetables, food derived from natural products, and drink LOTS of water. That's right. No meat, including seafood. No dairy. (I'm basically a vegan for January.) This fast comes from the Bible in Daniel chapter 1. Daniel and other young men (3 of which were Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego) were all taken captive from their homes in Jerusalem to Babylon for King Nebuchadnezzar's service . They were to be groomed to be the next generation of leaders. When given their assignment of the king's food and wine, Daniel spoke up and refused to eat it. He challenged the king's chief official to give him and his friends thier typical diet while serving the others the king's food and to test who looked better after 10 days (#Danielchallenge). After 10 days all the young men were evaluated and Daniel and his friends were stronger and healthier than the other boys. In turn, all the boys now had to eat the way that Daniel did. (Those other boys must have been so mad at him. They went from wine to water...Too bad they weren't around for Jesus' 1st miracle.) The purpose is to sacrifice something that I enjoy and spend more time in prayer and reading the Word. (Side note: all fasts are to get closer to God. I am simply choosing the Daniel fast because that's what I feel God is telling me to do.) 

It has been a tough 12 days. Having to come up with creative ways to eat things is a challenge. It's even worse when I go out to eat because I have to be specific about what I order due to the ingredients. In the beginning I got the stomach bug that was going around so I barely ate anything. After I got over that, I realized that I wasn't making any additional effort to spend time with God. I was just dieting. Now that I have been intentional about my time with God, I have been discovering so much about myself. There has been a stripping away of old mindsets, feelings, insecurities, etc. I have been saying daily declarations that have been prompted by the Holy Spirit. The food part sucks but the spiritual part is great. I have been able to hear God more clearly. Like I said in a Wednesday Worship a few weeks ago, I feel like I am being freed from things and also freed to do things. I know that in order for God to entrust me with the things that He has for me, He has to prepare me to be able to handle them. 

I am looking forward to what this year has to bring. For many people, this year, so far, hasn't seemed very promising. People are still looking for employment, loved ones have passed away, finances are all over the place...but I also know that God is faithful and He will be there. I know that His plans and purposes are good and that He knows what He is doing. I trust that as I do my part, He will do His part. We work together to see His will accomplished on earth as it is in Heaven. 

#fast #growth #Danielfast #pray #freedom #spritual