I hear people talking about fasting when they are seeking God's direction, but I've never understood. I mean, I could go a day without food. Do I do that to prove a point to God? That wouldn't make sense, biblically. I mean, I could deprive myself of a lot of things, doesn't make me any Holier. Unless of course God specifically has lead you to do that.
The last several days I've been in a place. A long line of circumstances have brought me to this place. You know the place: discouraged, defeated...It feels like everything I touched was Rejected.
You feeling me? Rejected! I don't know how to explain it.
I could say so much here but I will sum it up with - Rejected. Everything I did, it felt like It was being Rejected by God. Does that make sense?
A few days ago I hated that word because I felt it was stamped across my forehead. Where did I go wrong? Did I turn from HIM?
But today if that word was tangible I would pick it up and kiss it. Anything that causes me to fall on my face and seek Him, with my eyes wide open, and off me, looking for HIM and to see Him in a new light, yeah I could kiss it. :)
And that's what I believe God desires when He talks about Fasting. He desires our, "Falling Apart."
When you're Faced with Loneliness, that's God saying - "Fall Apart" (Psalms 25:15-17)
When you're gripped with Fear - "Fall Apart" (Psalms 56:3-4)
When you feel Rejected - "Fall APART" (Psalms 43)
When your burden is too much to bear - "Fall Apart" (Matthew 11:28-30)
When you're faced with confusion. - "Fall Apart" (God will cause confusion so that you have no other option but to seek Him.)
When you're directionless - "Fall Apart"
When you've never experienced what I'm talking about, It's due time to. - "Fall Apart"
When your world around you is crumbling. QUIT carrying the load on your shoulders and - "FALL APART"
You can't pretend to be strong before God. He doesn't want you to be. We often feel the need to be tough for everyone, trying not to break because if I allow myself to fall apart everything else around me, that I am working so hard to carry, will crumble as well. God doesn't need us to protect HIM. He's a Big GOD, He can handle it! He wants it. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Fall Apart before Him. It may take days or weeks, maybe even longer. However,
Psalms 30 -(check it out) is on your Horizon!!!
Verse 5...Weeping May Tarry for the Night,
but JOY comes with the Morning.
but JOY comes with the Morning.
I don't find it a coincidence that most of these verses came from Psalms. From David, who had a heart like His. David did A Lot of Falling Apart! If my Falling Apart creates in me a Heart like HIS. Break me LORD!
If, my friend, you have never felt like this. If you don't know how to fall apart before God. If you've never been so hungry for Him that you would rather die than go another moment without His Presence. Start praying for it. Start praying for that hunger. Pray that He will break you!
That is where the "Living Water" Comes from. Being broken! (Psalms 51:17)
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father,
and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind,
for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.
If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
His Clay ~
"You can't pretend to be strong before God. He doesn't want you to be. As women we often feel the need to be tough for everyone," I love this! We (I) do try to be strong for those around me, my kids specifically. But God knows my heart. He sees through the front I put up. This is so encouraging!
ReplyDeleteI HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS THAT "FALLING APART" AND BEING "BROKEN" IS USUALLY WHAT IT TAKES TO REFRESH MY SPIRIT IN CHRIST !!!
ReplyDeleteWE NEED TO LOOK TO CHRIST TO TO MEND THE "PIECES" BACK TOGETHER ---THE WAY HE WANTS TO, AND NOT THE WAY WE THINK THINGS SHOULD BE DONE !!! I BOUNCE BACK STONGER "IN HIM" KNOWING HIS WAY IS THE PERFECT WAY FOR MY LIFE.
JDP , SUGAR MTN,NC
BEAUTIFUL MOMMY FEET!! God has used you to remind me that I can be a Momma, whose heart is one like John the Baptist, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and at times Jeremiah! I can accept how God has made me, what passions He has placed in my heart, not struggle against how He has gifted me, and still be a Christian wife and Momma. KNOW that the Great I AM, who loves us with an everlasting love, uses you for HIS Glory to build His Kingdom! May He fall afresh on you, implant on your heart that you are His Beloved Daughter, and grant you His Hope in days that can grow weary. Know that when others REJECT you, circumstances overwhelm us, that His presence is MIGHTY and you can find the JOY of the LORD to be your strength!! Thank you for your blogs, they are like refreshing waters of encouragement to me. For His Glory Above all else, Kathy
ReplyDeletewhen I began to post I wanted to mention the sermon from our church today. It testifies to what you wrote from Ezekiel.
ReplyDeleteHopePoint.Org Go to links on sermons or podcasts & you can listen or pull up Richard's power point presentation while you listen.
Great Meaty Stuff. Short sermon today for it was an overview of what we and the youth did and are doing in our community. SHORT, but compacted with His Word. Blessings to you this Sunday. Rest in Him!
Jenifer-Thanks! I know. I don't mean to put up that "Front" for Christ but I catch myself doing it ALL the Time! Thank you for your encouragement!
ReplyDeleteKathy- I cannot WAIT to pull up that sermon! Thanks so much for telling me about it and also for your encouragement. YOu've blessed my heart today! Thanks!
It is usually at a pint of true weakness that we find out where our strength comes from and just how strong God really is! Awesome post!
ReplyDeleteHe is there to hold you when you do. I agree with JDP--sometimes I have to fall apart so He can put me back together. When I am weak, He is strong. Such good thoughts here. So glad you linked up to Playdates today.
ReplyDeleteI experienced this today: You can't pretend to be strong before God.
ReplyDeleteyes, if I cannot fall apart, how can I be put back together?
Jen- When I read your blog I totally Identified with you. Oh I am so sorry about your, one big blow after another.
ReplyDeleteLaura- Thanks for your encouragement and yes exactly. Just like "Hardened Clay can't be molded." We must be broken and put to the fire for us to be changed.
Lindsay- Thanks Love!
Sometimes I do feel like I am falling apart. All I do to try to put myself together again doesn't work. It is only coming into His presence that I feel healing begin in my life. He never fails! Sometimes he does leave us broken for a while though. Guess that is when we appreciate his healing even more.
ReplyDeleteI am guilty of pretending to be invincible in front of other people, even in front of God. That they need MY help instead of me needing theirs. But God knows how torn I was inside. Soon I learned how to be honest about "falling apart" because it is part of being human. And this is where the need for an all-knowing and all-powerful God comes in. We all need God.
ReplyDeleteTake care and God bless! :-)
Irene
Thank you for visiting and leaving such a beautiful comment! I've done my share of falling apart over the last two years. I've learned that sometimes things have to completely fall apart so that God can build them back up again His way.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your first paragraph, my pastor did a sermon last Sunday about fasting. My church has begun a corporate 21 day fast. I've heard a lot of sermons about fasting over the years, but this was by far the best I've ever heard. Tons of Biblical examples, what fasting is and does, and what it means in respect to your relationship with God. If your interested: http://www.therocksandiego.org/messages/2011-08-21/
God bless!
Carrie
We have had many times of Falling Apart over the past six years...thank you for this post. Powerful words indeed.
ReplyDeleteJoy and blessings,
Alida
Beautiful post.. I love your words, "If my Falling Apart creates in me a Heart like HIS. Break me LORD!" Oh I cry out to Him today, to Break me so that I can be more like Him! Thank you so much for sharing this and writing words that speak to my spirit.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Misty
i want to fall apart. i was in a broken, bad place. God placed a longing for Himself in my heart. I started longing and seeking for Him. And I'm at an okay place now. But I'm all together, but not right. I just want it to break so God can come in and satisfy me and heal me. But I don't feel broken anymore and i don't feel healed either, just kind of here. I'm engulfed in bitterness and pride and burdens on my shoulder i'm not sure how exactly to release. But I love to hear His words.
ReplyDelete