Day Twelve

A while back some close friends asked my husband and I to fast with them in regards to a significant desire they were pursuing the Lord about. The idea being that we would choose something in our lives to fast from for a period of time--something that would be a sacrifice to give up and anytime we craved the particular thing we would be reminded to instead pray for our friends' request.  I honestly had not fasted very often and doing so raised my awareness about a lot of things in my life.  It got me thinking about how there are so many things I rely on to 'fill me up'. Spending time with my family and friends, eating sweets, reading books, reading blogs, running, drinking coffee—to name a few.  Even 'spiritual activity' can be a filler.  Or how about our 'positions' we hold, either in the workplace or at church?  Are we striving for accolades or recognition from others in order to be 'filled'?  It got me wondering about how many times I rely on drinking coffee to keep me going throughout the day.  Ouch--if God asked me to give up coffee, could I do it?  Could I give it up, in faith knowing that the Holy Spirit is the ultimate energizer?  Or--how often do I rely on my husband, my children or my friends to meet needs in me that ultimately only God can meet?  Of course, God gave us relationships (and many other things for that matter) to be blessings in our lives, but when these things become more to us than God himself they become idols.

When Jesus was asked in the New Testament which commandment was most important He replied, "...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (NIV, Mark 12:30).  Really, every single sin can be traced back to this one commandment, because every sin we commit has to do with something in our lives that we are putting before our Lord.  As I have been praying over this scripture, asking the Lord to help me to truly love him first, He has began opening my eyes to areas where my heart is divided. 

In the sermon entitled ‘The Idol Factory’, C.J. Mahaney says:  ‘The problem is not the fact that you enjoy something.  The problem arises from enjoying something too much...’

Too much.  Two small yet convicting words.  Where have you been spending ’too much’ of your time?  Your money?  What or who has ’too much’ control over your heart?  Spend some time pondering these questions and confessing these things to the Lord.   

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come to you asking for forgiveness for allowing __________________________ to be an idol in my life.  I give that over to You, asking that You replace my desire for _____________ with a desire for more of You.  More of You and less of ______________!  I beg You to peel my hands off of that which cannot fully satisfy.  Only You can satisfy me, Lord—only You!  I pray that I would love you with ALL of my heart, ALL of mind, ALL of my soul and ALL of my strength.  That every inch of every living fiber of me would worship You and You alone.  I pray for all of the women coming to the conference—that You would give them a desire to worship You and You alone first and foremost.  If there are other things competing for first place in their lives, open their eyes to this.  Give them a broken and repentant spirit, Lord.  Break us all, Lord!  Break us and reshape us.  I love you and thank you for exposing things that are too important to me.  Thank you for sanctifying me through and through. 

In Jesus’ One and Only Name I Pray,
Amen.