Empty

' As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. '

Psalm 42:1

On September 1, 2024, God instructed me to fast dinner. For three weeks or twenty-one days, I did not eat dinner. I know this may not seem significant, but anyone who knows me knows that I never skip dinner. I have skipped breakfast a lot and have recently been able to skip lunch. But up until the fast, I could probably only recall skipping dinner during college when I was crunching on time to study or complete assignments. Skipping meals or not eating can take a toll on me too. It is hard for me to concentrate and it can be difficult to get along with me when I am hungry. Also, I have felt shaky and have passed out before from not eating. The fast was certainly not easy for me, but I appreciate the difficulty. It impacted me greatly.

It was in the moments where I had the urgency to eat, the moments where I had cravings coming to my mind, the moments where I felt sick and thought I was going to pass out, the moments I felt empty in my stomach and empty in my mind from lack of concentration that I had to be dependent on God. A greater level of dependency resulted from this fast. God met me right in those moments. Whether you believe it or not, God made me full physically in addition to making me full mentally.

Empty was the perfect physical and mental state to be in. It positioned me to lean into God and he filled me. Even though I battled cravings, I was still turned from desiring a loaf of bread to desiring The Bread of Life, Jesus. I became like the writer of Psalm 42:1 when I fixed my attention on The One Who is seated on the throne in heaven. I thirsted and hungered for God and he satisfied me. From there, my longing for God increased.

I say all of this to not point you in the direction of a fast, although if you feel pressed now by The Spirit to do one, then by all means be obedient, but to encourage you to pray and ask The Lord what you need to empty yourself from. What is it that you need to let go? What is it that you need to surrender to The Lord? What is distracting you? Who or what has the throne in your life?

Pray and ask The Lord to reveal to you what needs to be emptied, and then ask God to make you hungry and thirsty for Him. And then do not just stay empty, hungry, and thirsty, ask The Spirit to fill you. Seek Jesus in The Word, in prayer, in worship, because remember He is the bread of life that satisfies (see John 6:35). Yes, starting from a place of emptiness is the best starting point because you can be positioned to be hungry or thirsty so then God can fill you.

Example of Prayer for this week:

Lord, reveal to me anything that I need to empty myself from. Tear down any idol, remove any distraction, silence any lie, heal any brokenness or trauma, completely deplete me of anything so that I become empty and all that is left is a thirst and hunger for You. Jesus, I thank You that You are The Bread of Life that truly satisfies and You will satisfy the thirst and fill the hunger. May I seek You more, Lord, so that I will find You more. In Jesus name, amen.

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