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Week 2 Introduction
Welcome to another week of giving up. š
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This week, our theme is Surrendering to Godās Ways. Many of us like how we live, and yet some of our ways arenāt helping us fully enjoy our relationship with God. That is why this week we will focus primarily on the ways we use our body, considering how we might need to surrender our various members to be more Christlike.
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By the way, if you are fasting, let us encourage you to not give up āgiving upā in the areas in which you are fasting. If you have āslippedā on your fast this past week, we have good news: this is a new week, so begin again! Even if you arenāt fasting some area throughout these 21 Days, we hope you will join us in fasting from food today, Jan 8, as we kick off this second week in our 21 Days of Surrender.
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Monday, Jan 8 - Surrendering Food
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DEVOTIONAL: āSURRENDERING FOODā
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Iām an emotional eater. Iāve just figured this out in the last few years, although Iām not sure why it took so long. Looking back on my life, it seems obvious. If Iām celebrating, I want to do it with good food. If Iām down, I look for solace in food. My 16-year-old self would eat an entire bag of Twizzlers on a ābadā day, and even now I ādeserveā candy if itās been a particularly tough day teaching school.
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Each year, as the 21 days of Prayer and Fasting approaches, the Holy Spirit typically compels me to give up something related to food. I usually āargueā with Him for a short time, saying it wonāt really make a difference, before I eventually surrender and take action.
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Yet, even after 8 years of starting the new year with a food-related fasting commitment, I still come back to it the next year, revealing this is an ongoing battle for my heart to surrender this area and find contentment in the Creator instead of amazing food creations. (Iām looking at you, chocolate!)
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What will it take to fully surrender my food cravings to the One who made everything and declared it good (Genesis 1:12), yet who also says not everything is beneficial and I should not be mastered by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12).
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To be honest: Iām not sure, but I knew I needed to write on this topic. The Christian life on earth is not about āarriving.ā I donāt have to have it all figured out before I share my journey and struggles. Itās probably better I donāt have this mastered, because as I continue to struggle to surrender to God, you just might be able to relate.
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I want to be faithful to listen to the Holy Spiritās leading, whether itās for the 21 Days, late night snacking, or a compulsion to have a second serving of ice cream when no one is looking. And, if I over-indulge, I can confess and not live in shame, but ask God to be my greatest desire. Iām thankful for the worship leader at our college church who introduced me to Psalm 73:25 and the challenge to consider āWhom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.ā Over and over again, I have desired other things more than God. And over and over again, God gently and graciously prods, prompts, and reminds me of his goodness, grace, and forgiveness, helping me learn to enjoy His good things without making them ultimate things.
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Whether your search for comfort is food, or anything else good the Lord has created, I encourage you to set affections on things above not on the things of the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:2-3).
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Dear Jesus, thank You that You are the the Creator of [fill in the blank of your favorite food here]. Thank You that You gave me taste buds and the ability to rejoice in Your good creations. Help me not allow food to be my source of joy or comfort, but to allow Your presence and pursuit of me to be what I focus on and what I find satisfaction in. Please be gracious to me and show me daily just how good You are. In Your name, I pray, Amen.
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