Scripture: “Whoever desires to be first among you, let them be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:27-28).
Observation: During a fast, one thing that inevitably happens is that we are confronted with our flesh, selfishness, and immaturity. All these things reveal the impurities that are in our heart. You may be feeling pretty good about your spiritual growth then the Lord leads you to fast. It doesn’t take long before the illusion is broken. It can be frustrating and disheartening, especially when things are brought up that you thought you have already dealt with.
The reality is that we are all selfish and feel, on some level, that everyone else should cater to our preferences (Philippians 2:3-4) – even God. This is foolishness and a recipe for spiritual disaster. God wants us to be more like Him – loving and serving those around us, not demanding our own way. So, He will expose our sin and selfishness to us in order to purify us as gold (Malachi 3:3), and to help us to grow in love and spiritual maturity (1 Corinthians 13:11).
Are we seeking others to serve us as the enemy does, or are we looking for opportunities to serve others like Jesus?
Application: When we are confronted with our flesh and immaturity, we must humble ourselves and ask God for help (James 4:7, 1 Corinthians 10:13). The Holy Spirit is our Helper. If we go to Him and be honest about our behavior and ask Him for help, He will (1 John 1:9, Philippians 1:6).
Prayer: Jesus, I love You. I thank You for today and everything that you are doing in my life. Help me to hate my sin and to see my selfishness for what it is. I need Your help. Restore my hope and my joy as I follow You. I hate my weakness. Help me to love You and myself more. Purify me so that I can know You. Teach me to love and serve others like You. Forgive me of my sin and selfishness. Teach me to prefer others as better than myself. Help me to practice preference. Amen.
Worship: