{Style} by Lori Delisle

Every year of my life seems to have a special purpose in my growth as a person.   The year I got married I practiced being a wife.  The year I turned thirty I worked on my relationships with my friends.    Last year I practiced looking for God’s hand and direction in my life. This year my plan is to work on refocusing my priorities.

Resolutions/Goals/Plans/Prayer

Many of us make resolutions at the beginning of the year to help us get on track towards those goals or purposes we have made for the year.  Others start the year off by prayer and fasting.  This year I have decided on the later.    I am fasting something sort of unusual, but appropriate for my purposes.

Ask Yourself…

This morning I went to the first Women’s Bible Study for the year 2010.  This month they plan on talking about prayer.  Margaret Deemer started us out by talking about hindrances to prayer and keys to effective prayer, including the power of agreement, alignment with God’s will and Word, and the importance of having your prayers targeted and with specific purpose.  Then Margaret finished off with a key list to fasting; questions to ask yourself when you decide to do a fast.  I thought the list was so great I should share it with you all.  So, ask yourself:

1. What is the specific purpose of my fast.  “Why am I doing this?”
2. Is there a particular answer or resolve I am looking for?
3. Have I set aside time to hear from God?
4. What scriptures will I study and meditate on?  What is that word saying to me?
5. How long do I intend to fast?
6. What is my motivation for the fast?

We should not be fasting to loose a couple of pounds, or to give God an ultimatum.  Fasting is about getting clarity and focus, channeling our hunger into a drive to seek God’s will and purpose for our life.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?”  Isaiah 58:6

“”Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”  Joel 2:12

I’d love to hear about your plans, resolutions, goals, prayers… for this year.   Share them with me!