Challenge Accepted: How a Fast Challenged My Business and Got Me out of My Comfort Zone

Every fall our church kicks off the school year with a twenty-one- day fast to pray for our kids, schools, parents, and so much more. This time around, my focus was centered around the ever- changing strategies of our ministry, and going into the fast, my prayer was how we could shift our focus more toward leadership. But on day two, the Lord gave me a personal challenge that I knew if I wasn’t obedient, there would be consequences that would not only affect me but the ministry itself, the women who were served and employed. It was a big gulp, and I knew the Lord was stretching me to be a different kind of leader. It wasn’t a new concept, but it was as if God was showing me that I had procrastinated too long and now this was it!

I had twenty days to complete the challenge, if you will, and I knew it was a test of obedience more than anything else.

Before I go on, let me explain a little bit about fasting. There are many reasons why we should fast: to strengthen our prayer life, to receive guidance in a particular area, to deal with grief, and so many others.

But the one thing that’s true is that as we submit our bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we make more room to hear His voice. By removing something that we crave, each time we want to “pick up” that thing, whether it’s a certain food, coffee (Jesus, no!), TV, etc., we are reminded to crave God instead and replace that item with worship and prayer, creating

the atmosphere and space for God to speak to us and to move in our daily lives.

So, here I was praying about strategies for the team when the Lord dropped a bombshell that dealt with me specifically.

As the leader of CW, there are many things that fall under my responsibility and many that I love. Sharing vision, creating strategies, leading our team, and writing are just a few that can get me really energized! But the thing I often avoid is anything dealing with finances, like fundraising or giving initiatives. It makes me cringe! I just want to work on the ministry; I don’t think it’s too much to ask, right?!

Now, hear me when I say that God has always provided a way for the ministry to be sustained; when it’s His vision, He always provides. But this was more about my fear rather than the provision itself, and I needed to deal with a root of fear that had been in me for as long as I can remember. So, when the Lord showed me a strategy that I had to complete in the twenty days that were left, I knew it was time to confront my personal fears.

I share this only to show how as we take care of our health seriously, in this case submitting our bodies through fasting, the Holy Spirit can and will give us next steps for our business, family, or whatever dream and purpose He has for us in this season. Even if it means dealing with our fear. Fasting is not supposed to be comfortable, but it is always something that will take us to a deeper level in our relationship with God, which in turn always affects our purpose.

So, as you dive deep in the devotionals this month, ask the Lord if there is something you need to fast from. And if you do, I can promise that as you give up one thing, God will replace it with something better! It may just be courage instead of fear.

XOXO,

Heather

Heather Frierson

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