The Encounter: Advancing Your Spiritual Life Through Fastingनमूना

## The Longing in Our Hearts When God calls us to a fast, we usually don’t know what he has in store, but our trust in him assures us that it must be good. While we don’t always understand his plans, we unite faith with action and follow his lead. Fasts are often birthed by a longing in our hearts for something new, even if we’re not sure what that is. We may be experiencing a dissatisfaction that is fueled by a holy desire for greater intimacy with the Lord. Perhaps we feel stagnant or stifled. Or maybe we sense a coming shift in our life, so with focused intention, we turn to the Lord with fasting. Fasts can be a divine connecting point where God escorts us from one level of glory to the next. As if a secret entrance has opened in response to our yearning hearts. However, to squeeze through this narrow passageway, we bow, relinquishing old mindsets and anything that restricts forward movement. At the entrance, we offer our desire to remain in control of our lives. As we surrender all—every frustration, disappointment, and even our dreams and aspirations—we find a freedom that cannot be defined by human logic. As we yield to him, we always discover something new. As we step into him, we find all that we’ve ever wanted. Let’s step into this time of fasting together, where we will be drawn into the bliss of unspeakable encounters with Jesus, who paid everything to be with us. As we entirely resign ourselves to the One whose holy love is fierce and unstoppable, gentle and compassionate, everything about us changes. We want nothing more than to be consumed with his glory. And this glory, this palpable presence, is what makes fasting enjoyable, satisfying, and life-changing. We are his beloved, and his merciful love has set us free.