Day 6
We Surrender our Comfort
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”- Luke 9:23-24
When you are having a hard day, feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious, what is the first thing you do? Instead of facing what I need to head on, I tend to avoid. I know the temporary discomfort of facing what is in front of me will be worth it but it seems easier to sit in the place of familiarity or comfort. I often choose to lose myself in some sort of escapism, scrolling through social media or maybe I am grabbing the bag of chips: potato or chocolate- it doesn't matter– to literally feed my discomfort. Just me? Does that help me accomplish what I need to face? Not at all. And it’s not God’s best for me either.
Many times I have asked God for breakthrough but dismiss the solution right in front of me because it is uncomfortable and requires something of me. My preference would be for God to do something instantaneously and bypass any of the hard work. When we fast and pray, we quickly feel the sacrifice of food or other things we have given up that bring us comfort. As hunger pangs arise or as discomfort is not satiated by our usual placations, the Holy Spirit is there to be our helper. He calls us to lean on Him and let him be our strength. He invites us to be undone so he can make us new. When we let go of ungodly comfort, He is The Comforter. As discomfort rises up, revealing where we go to satiate our needs, God is there to show us a better way.
Our human nature seeks to find comfort and protection as a means of safety. In Matthew 19:16-22, when the rich young ruler came to Jesus with his spotless reputation and impeccable behavior, Jesus asked him to give up the one thing he found comfort in most: his wealth. That “one thing” is different for each of us, but God knows what we need to surrender in order to move more in the fullness of who he calls us to be. Sometimes He calls us to release the earthly things we depend on to help us grow in our faith and trust in Him.
Fasting is difficult. It is called a discipline for a reason. When we give up earthly things that satiate our needs, we feel the deficit and it can affect many areas of our life from physical energy, to dopamine hits, to things that make us feel better that were meant to be met by Jesus. As we fast, we surrender our flesh to the Lord. We give him the things we turn to to satiate our discomfort and trust him to meet our needs. As we feel the discomfort of fasting, what rises to the surface (our irritation, cravings, anger, bitterness, frustration), reveal the areas God is wanting to release us from as a part of bringing the breakthrough we are seeking. In this revelation, we have the opportunity to name those things that are hindering us from intimacy with God. We can give those things back to Him and invite Him into the process of making us new. Our personal breakthrough creates godly character to be able to walk with more of God’s heart.
During the fast, we all have things we are seeking the Lord for personally. We also join together as one collective body to seek God’s intervention on behalf of ALL who have a need. At Bridgeway, we desire to be people who walk in the power and authority Jesus as called us to do in the great commission. Part of walking in that call, at times requires God to sift us, so we can walk in his love. Removing the things we seek for comfort, creates space for intimacy with the Lord. When we release our comfort to the Lord, it is an act of worship that reorients our priorities and our desires to God’s. The discomfort is temporary but the reward of breakthrough is eternal.
Listening Prayer: Holy Spirit, I confess that I have relied on earthly things to satiate my needs where I should be relying on you. What areas of my life do I need to surrender to you during the fast? Where have I sought earthly comfort that you want me to let go of? What do you want me to learn about you and experience with you as I let go?
Prayer: Father, I surrender my comfort to you. I repent of not trusting you fully and relying on things of the world to bring me comfort and security. I give your permission to transform me. My desire is to rely on you and trust in you alone. I give you permission to do a transformative work in my life. Help me, Holy Spirit, and strengthen me as I learn to exchange my desires for earthly comfort to seek your breakthrough. Thank you for never leaving me as I am but for constantly pursuing me and helping me walk in the fullness of who you created me to be.
Resources: Bible Verses on Surrendering our Comfort
Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. “
Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”