Fast

Nowadays, everything seems fast. One morning, I wake up, I go to work. The next thing I know, it’s 6 pm already. Months ago, we were celebrating new year, now, Christmas is nearing.

Nowadays, people finish tasks quickly. Through the hi-tech gadgets we have, multi-tasking has been the trend. Smart phones, tablets, wifi, all these things make life so convenient.

Nowadays, we want it all fast. At least I do, in case you don’t. “I want it now!” If I don’t get it now or soon, I become unhappy. Sadly, the Lord Jesus revealed to me that I have been going with the flow of the world for the past months.

Now that I am getting near the finish line of the spiritual crisis, I can see clearly once more. Because everything is becoming fast, I also desired to be prosperous ASAP.

The Lord told me that it’s not bad to desire prosperity. In fact, all humans are wired for prosperity. We were never really programmed to work hard for our food. We were programmed for luxury.

But again, because “fast” is the new thing, I wanted prosperity literally fast to the point that I obey Christ for the sake of prosperity. In effect, when bad things happen, I ask myself.

“What did I do wrong? What sin have I committed? Why was God’s favor not with me?”

The problem began here. “What is wrong with me?” Me.Me.Me. Endless Me. Pagkagising sa umaga, Me. Prayer time with the Lord, Me. Office hours, Me. Pagdating sa bahay, Me.

“I need to change. I am so weak. I am so sinful. I am so unwise. I am so frustrated. I am... I am… I am…I did this…I did that…I want this…I want that….”

 Tapos I will ask the Lord “Lord, why do I feel tired? Pagod na pagod na po ako [kaka-improve ng sarili ko at buhay ko].”

 5Thus says the LORD,
         “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
         And makes flesh his strength,
         And whose heart turns away from the LORD.

6“For he will be like a bush in the desert
         And will not see when prosperity comes,
         But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
         A land of salt without inhabitant. (Jeremiah 17:5-6)

It’s really tiring to live one day always thinking about yourself, much more to live a life all about yourself.

In this world where everything seems so fast, it’s easy to go with the flow that leads to destruction.  If we do not guard our hearts on a diligent, day-to-day basis, we will be going with the flow of the world, the flow that focuses more on self and unknowingly expels God out of our lives.

Matthew 24:12  says that in the last days, iniquity shall abound and the love of many will grow cold.

And it is already happening. The increase of self-centeredness brought about by the fast evolving lifestyle of people makes us not concerned about others and fill our lives with excuses why we shouldn't have to.

"I don't have time. I don't have money. It's hard."

People are missing one of the greatest lessons they can learn while alive, that to love others is the key to a really happy and fulfilled life.  Love God first. Love others as we love ourselves. And we can never really love without getting our minds off ourselves!

This is what I missed in the past few months. Yes, I was praying everyday. Yes, I was going to church. But most of the time, my focus was on everything about me. It's amazing how we can live our lives thinking we're close to God but we're actually not.

I seriously want to give up my self-centered life (which is not an easy thing to do). So the Lord told me:

“I want you to declare a fast. Fast and abstain not from food (because I am working) but from thinking about yourself, from hearing voices regarding yourself, from hearing comments and suggestions regarding others & situations, from TV and other heathen materials and from internet outside office. Instead, fill yourself with My Word and be a blessing to others.   ”

Actually there’s more on the list. God’s basically saying to me, fast by abstaining from yourself and meditate more on Him. This verse is very true:

A life all about Ryan Rotor sucketh; 

  

Yes, I still want to be successful and prosperous….but now I let God be in charge of that. Let my life be aimed in blessing those I can bless with the small means I have. Let my mind be concerned of others and their welfare. Let my goal in life be this: that I may be an answer to someone else’s prayer every day of my life.

⁶ [Rather] is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every [enslaving] yoke?

⁷ Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house—when you see the naked, that you cover him, and that you hide not yourself from [the needs of] your own flesh and blood?

⁸ Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

⁹ Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, Here I am. If you take away from your midst yokes of oppression [wherever you find them], the finger pointed in scorn [toward the oppressed or the godly], and every form of false, harsh, unjust, and wicked speaking,

¹⁰ And if you pour out that with which you sustain your own life for the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in darkness, and your obscurity and gloom become like the noonday.

¹¹ And the Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you in drought and in dry places and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.

(Isaiah 58: 6-11  AMP)