Father, if you do not show up today I am going to fall flat on my face. I shal not boast nor complain about not eating today. I desire no one’s affirmation, I just want to bring you glory.
That was my prayer starting my first day of real physical labor while fasting from food. Prior to this all of my food fast days happened either at home when I worked in an office or on relational ministry days on the race.
I knew the day was going to be grueling. Our ministry at this time in Mongolia was to help a pastor build a concrete church. We put in long days of work, knocking out 5 hours of work before lunch and 6 hours post lunch…The days have been hot and sunny and no relief from the weather was insight.
This day our opening task was to dig sand out of a nearby ditch and carry it to the area where they wanted to pave a driveway. The process was 2 people shovel the sand unto old cement bags, a couple people carry the bags out of the ditch and dump into a wheelbarrow, then repeat until the wheelbarrow is full. The wheelbarrow would go off and dump the load of sand, then come back for some more.
I was a shovel operator. It was hard digging as you had to fight for every scoop, swift through some old trash, and you wound up digging up old cow patties….so the job had a certain stench to it. The sun was blazing that day so sweat streamed steadily from every pore. It was painful and my body started to feel it. I just kept repeating the above prayer over and over again to myself as I shoveled away.
Why I asked for no affirmation from the people around me is because words of affirmation is one of my main love languages (from the 5 Love Languages book). So I did not want my actions of working hard while not eating to generate positive phrases of affirmation from teammates but rather from God. That I was not working to please and impress the people around me but rather to serve God. I did not want to be tempted by the devil in anyway so knew my potential weakness and prayed against it.
Once the pain set into my body, I began to speak into the pain. My right bicep started to cramp up…which is a first for me. I don’t get called “bird chest” for nothing. I prayed into that area of pain and sure enough God healed it. My right arm never caused a problem for the remainder of the day. I praised God as He was teaching me other ways He provides. My lower back started to feel the burn too and sure enough after praying to God, He healed that too. Whatever was going on in my body physically, God healed it instantly. It was an unreal experience being in tune to God throughout the entire day and Him responding to my every need.
Post lunch I got into mixing concrete and God continued to deliver me from every pain. The entire day, He never left my side and spoke to me regularly.
He said, “Eric I am always with you. Constantly walking by your side. Always here to provide for your needs. Walk in obedience and depend on me.”
God can provide for you under any circumstance. If He is calling you into a time of fasting do not be fearful. He knows what your needs are.
This experience lead me to another revelation…. watch out for part 4!
