Choosing God Every Day

The Takeaway from 21 Days of the Daniel Fast

God loves you. God loves me. He delights when we delight in Him - when we remain in prayer, live faithfully, and spread the gospel.

I was reading Ecclesiastes 3:1 the other day: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”That brought comfort, knowing that even though He knew us before He formed us in the womb, there would be seasons - a season to learn, a season to grow, a season to trust, and a season to come back to Him.

I had a mini revelation the other day. Up until now, I had been so deep “in the world” that I felt ashamed. I’ve always had a relationship with God, but I was living in sin. When we’re actively living in sin, He can’t dwell in that mess in the same way He can now. He will watch over us, send His angels, because He still loves us - it’s the sin He hates, not us as people.

I never thought about it before, but allowing God to use me and turn my life around is part of being in His plan. I wasn’t living right for a long time, and it didn’t seem all that bad to me then. It’s crazy to be “comfortable in sin” because it pushes us away from the Father and breaks His heart. He cannot tolerate sin because He is sinless. He is perfect - but we are not.

Let me clarify: that doesn’t mean He didn’t watch over me. He’s omnipresent. But He couldn’t be in my life the way He is now. It hit me as I sat in my car thinking about my past. I admitted to myself, “Gosh, I’m ashamed to have been in the world like that.”

Following God and being obedient isn’t punishment - it’s life. He is life. When you’re dead in sin, that’s all you know. That becomes your norm. That’s why He says we must die to ourselves and pick up our cross daily. The flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing. The flesh is greedy and doesn’t care about the spirit.

During the fast, it was challenging. Things that came easy before - eating out every day, fast food, boba, sugary treats, fried food, even meat - had to be set aside. I had to be extremely intentional and mindful about what I was putting in my temple. At first, it felt like a bit of punishment. But choosing not to indulge in those things gave me life. Eating more whole, often organic foods, something I would usually refrain from - it felt like actively choosing Jesus every day.

It gets easier over time. God sees your heart posture and notices what you no longer entertain. It’s like consecration. I felt so much closer to God than I ever had. I was more sensitive to the Spirit. When you’re hungry, know that you are closer in spirit to Him than you would be full. He will satisfy your hunger if you let Him.

Explore what’s possible - because with God, all things are possible. What are you willing to let go of to be close to God? If it’s something you cannot let go of, it becomes an idol in His eyes. What are you willing to set aside so He can do the work in you?

He used me during that time. A friend I hadn’t seen in a while - God directed my footsteps to that friend’s house. Even though I was tired and wanted to go home, I went anyway, uninvited and unannounced. Thank God he was home! God used me to connect with him, and I even laid hands on him in prayer. In my obedience, God was able to work for His glory. Amen.

The old version of me wouldn’t have done that. But through obedience and trusting God, even when I didn’t know what to do or say, I was in His purpose in that moment. Sometimes I overthink, but I was exactly where God wanted me.

My prayer for us is that He will continue to use us. I pray that we may surrender, allow Him to make changes in our lives, and use us for His divine glory, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.