Short Reflections After an Extended 21-Day Fast

I just returned from a 21-day social media fast, which I ended up extending to over a month long! It was such a breath of fresh air to escape an addiction that I've been facing as well as partake in a necessity in my walk with God. I really experienced His calling on my heart to do it and I'm so glad I did! He worked and moved beyond what I imagined.

If you're facing an addiction or would just like to sacrifice something to grow in your relationship with the Lord, I recommend fasting. This was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Here are a few things God revealed to me:

--Trust in Him. Many trials--some worse than others--came during this time of fasting and I know that if I hadn't been fasting, I would not have been as strong in my faith as I have been over this past month and would've had an even harder time during these trials. He answered several prayers during this time, from prayers I've been praying for years to ones I began praying during this period of time. Through His faithful answers and movement in my faith, I've truly learned to depend and trust in the Lord and in His great love for me.

--Wait on Him and trust that He will reveal to me His will for my life at His right timing. As I've been praying harder than ever before about my future and His will for me with college, my major, and my future career, He revealed to me several times, oftentimes with the same Scriptural passage, through different sources that this is a waiting season. Continue seeking Him. Continue knocking on the door. At the right time, I will know what door is open and what door He has called me to walk through. He will reveal to me what to do at His right timing. Until then, learn to seek Him fully. Wait and pray. Ask for His perspective and desire only His will. I know that at the right timing, I will know for sure what to do--and it will be in line with what He has already been doing in my life.

--He spoke to me several times about going out in the world and making disciples. Go. Go. Go! The word was everywhere. He has called me to pray daily for the lost in my life and to grow in boldness and in faith. To open up and share my faith and what God has been doing in my life will be a challenge, but it is my wish that His love will shine through me this year and that I will be a part of going and leading people to Him. Grow in boldness, and be faithful in prayer!

--Be still. I began praying from day one of the fast to help me be still and yet it took me until the end of the fast to realize that He has done just that. Throughout the entire month, I barely made it anywhere, other than my home, school, and occasionally a place or two (such as Winter Jam during the second week!). Church, volunteering at the shelter, or any other normal to-do never worked out, as things were coming up again and again. Yet through the trials, I grew stronger in Him. As my schedule became less busy and more about Him, I was able to spend more time in prayer and in His Word. I grew stronger in my faith.


God knew the bad times that were coming, and yet He called me to take a break from the constant scrolling of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and led me to the foot of the cross, experiencing the love and grace of Christ in a way that was different than ever before. Because of this fast, I was able to handle the trials with a faith stronger and more dependent on Him. I wrote pages upon pages in my prayer notebook  during this period of time about what God has been doing, and I am just so grateful I listened to the call of the Holy Spirit on my heart. This was one of the most memorable moments in my walk with God, and I recommend fasting from any addiction/idol in your life as well!

With that being said, God is good.