Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Fast 2016: Choosing Crazy

Our life started getting crazy and unpredictable a couple of years ago when Sam went back to a submarine and I really surrendered control of my life to following the Spirit's leading even when it didn't make sense and felt crazy. Now we always seem to be waiting for life to get "normal" again; get through a move and get settled, get use to new schools and new jobs, get use to Sam being out to sea, get use to Sam being back from deployment, get through the holidays, etc. I am starting to suspect that as long as we are surrendered and following the Spirit, our life is never going to be normal. Crazy is the new normal around here! Maybe your life feels a little like that too?

Here is what I know about choosing crazy:

First of all, it is a choice. I could make my life more normal. I could stop seeking the Lord's will for my life. I could ignore His direction and eventually I wouldn't even feel His direction anymore. I could choose to do what I know, what I am good at, what is safe and predictable. And sometimes, when I am not feeling particularly courageous, I do make those choices. But the choices that bring me joy and fulfillment are the crazy choices. The choice to follow God when it doesn't make sense. The choice to have faith and to do things I am fairly certain I am not qualified for because He is qualified and where He calls, He equips.

Secondly, I need some serious supernatural help when I choose crazy. The kind of supernatural help that if I do not get it, I will fail. It takes supernatural help to even make the crazy choice in the first place! How can you choose without supernatural direction? And this is the point of this whole post... I want to invite you to join me in seeking God's direction for your 2016!

Rather than making a list of resolutions of things you want to do this year, I challenge you to spend the first two weeks of the year fasting and praying for God's direction for your year. This is choosing crazy. Letting go of the plans we have and the things we think we want to accomplish and strapping ourselves in for the ride of our lives as we pursue Him and His plans for our lives.

We just celebrated Christmas and the greatest gift God ever gave us, His Son, Jesus. Doesn't that remind you that God gives good gifts? He loves us so much that He gave us His Son so that we can experience a relationship with Him. Why wouldn't we want what He wants for us? Why wouldn't we be willing to give Him the first little part of our year expecting that He will be faithful to His character and come and meet us and guide us? God doesn't want anything from you, He wants everything for you! During this fast we will deny our appetite in order to increase our hunger for God and the better things that He wants for us.

I love my crazy, unpredictable, blessed life. As I look at this coming year, I am hungry for God's presence and direction. I have tasted what life is like pursuing God and His purposes for me and I really just don't want it any other way. There is no going back. I know I need Him. I want Him.

Are you in? 
Are you ready to choose crazy? 
Are you ready to choose Him?

If your answer is yes, then join me!
Fast & Pray: January 3-17

In the next few days I will be here writing more on fasting. I will also share my personal Scripture reading plan for the fast.

1 comment:

Natashalh said...

Best of luck with your fast. As I'm sure you already know, fasting has a long history around the world as a means of spiritual rejuvenation and reconnection with God. I hope your fast is an enjoyable (if that's the right word?) one.