Joel 2:12-13
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
For many people, including myself, the initial thought of fasting can be one that’s extremely intimidating. Why would God want us to deny something that we love in this life — and especially for forty days? It can oftentimes seem like a mere guessing game as to what we may think we need to give up for lent. Sure… There are a lot of things in our every day routine that we could give up in order to create more space for intentional time with Jesus. But, if we want to experience all that God has for is in the months leading up to Easter, it has to be so much more than just self-discipline or saying “no” to something. This is about self-denial, and a call to “return to the Lord.”
The call to “return to the Lord” via fasting will teach you the immeasurable joy that’s found only in Jesus, regardless of how you view your circumstances. Is it a dry season for you? Are your finances not where you want them to be? Are your relationships failing? Is there a void in your soul that’s being filled with pain and uncertainty? Let this fast be a challenge to you and a call to return to the Lord. Wherever you find yourself reading this devotional, know that God is for you and He wants you to put your trust and your faith totally in Him.
I’m sure that those of you who are giving something up for lent are learning quickly that fasting will definitely help you recognize and identify just how easy it is to find satisfaction in things outside of the realm of God. Though it may seem counter-productive to give up things that we love, it’s actually enabling us to experience Jesus in a way that shows us how essential our need for Him is. Once we renounce our dependence on getting satisfaction from earthly things and make room for the Holy Spirit, that’s when God comes in and sends a flood of joy to fill our cup with true and lasting satisfaction. Jesus isn’t going to be glorified just because you have self-discipline and can say “no” to Starbucks coffee or social media for forty days. Jesus is going to be most glorified in your effort to pursue lent when the decision that you make to deny something is for the sole purpose of making much of Jesus’ name. And let me say this: Lent is not a punishment. It is all about joy! More of Jesus and less of yourself is an absolute guarantee for pleasure.
So as you’re diving into day six, or seven, or twenty-seven, don’t forget what lent is all about. The battle will not be driving down the interstate and seeing Starbucks on the blue exit sign. The battle will not be seeing that there’s a notification on your Instagram app. The battle is in your soul. More than that, the battle is for your soul. The battle is waking up every morning and choosing Jesus, despite the trial and tribulation that comes your way.
Flannery O’Connor, one of my favorite writers, described her pursuit of finding pleasure in God this way, “Always, you renounce a lesser good for a greater; the opposite is what sin is. Picture me, with my ground teeth, stalking joy — fully armed, too, as it is a highly dangerous quest.”
It’s not going to be easy. The things this world has to offer are so enticing, and if we aren’t careful, the war for our soul may be more at stake than we might think.
The devil is going to tempt you.
Your flesh is going to fail you.
But great is the reward for fasting, and great is the grace of God for sinners!
I hope that you’re encouraged today! This lent season is much less about following rules or regulations, and much more about strengthening your relationship with God. When we return to Him, He restores to us all that we’ve been searching for.
For more insight on what this looks like biblically, check out the rest of Joel chapter 2 and see how God rewards those who return to Him and seek His face.