Day Seventeen: Fasting Update – Rewards for Fasting #10 – “Is this not the fast that I have chosen… Then your light shall dawn in the darkness (obscurity), and your darkness (or gloom) shall be as the noonday” (Isaiah 58:6&10).
Reward #10: Your Light Shall Rise from Obscurity
What does this mean? Through prayer and fasting, you will rise out of obscurity and onto the path God has for you.
Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:6-7–When you “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, He will exalt you (lift you up) in due time” and here's an important part of that verse, “casting the all (the WHOLE) of your care on Him, because He cares for you.” It's the Lord's job to care for you and see to your success in life, not yours. Isn't that good to know?
A Young Man Rises Out of Obscurity
I read the story of a young man who, before entering college, took a number of aptitude tests with professional counselors to see what sort of work he should be doing. They felt he would be good at engineering.
“Well, I thought God was calling me to be a minister,” he said, hopefully.
“Oh, no. You would not do well at that at all!” they said. “Do yourself a favor and go into engineering.”
The young man took engineering classes for three years and never felt fully satisfied. The call of God was in his heart and on his life. He decided to leave college, fast and seek the Lord. During his time of fasting, the Lord showed him His plan for the young man's life.
He humbled himself before God and allowed the Creator of the Universe to exalt him, to lift him out of obscurity. Today he is the pastor of the largest church in his city and knows he is on the path to the fulfillment of God's plan for him — which he discovered by seeking God in fasting and prayer.
If you are struggling and wondering what is God's plan for you–fast and pray. Seek the Lord. Humble yourself before Him. I have literally gone face-down in the dark brown Oklahoma dirt before the Lord. How low can you go? How surrendered to Him and His will are YOU willing to be? You hear Him best when you are humble (for some that may first mean “broken”).
Humble yourself first beneath His mighty LOVING hand (stroking the top of your head, as you would a dear child). He will exalt and lift you up in due time. I think you're due. How about you?
