🕊️ PRAY HERE DEVOTION 🕊️ Fasting Is Humbling

Scripture: Psalm 35:13 (NIV)

“Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,”

Ezra 8:21 (NIV)

“There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.”

Devotion: Many people believe they are humble, yet often display the opposite. Humility is the opposite of arrogance. To be humble means to lower yourself, to acknowledge that you are not the highest authority, and to recognize that God is greater than you. Have you ever heard the phrase “humble beginnings”? This means being of a lower social status and not having much. Now that we understand what humility truly means, that phrase makes much more sense.

When we humble ourselves before God, we are saying to Him, “You are greater than me.” Most people do not feel the need to fast, nor do they understand the spiritual benefits of fasting. Some even view fasting as nothing more than a glorified diet for weight loss. But when fasting is approached that way, there is no spiritual gain.

Fasting is a humbling act. How? Because we deny ourselves. We acknowledge our weakness and our need for God. Fasting breaks pride and our attachment to worldly pleasures. It removes distractions and makes God the center of our focus.

In Psalm 35:13, David humbled himself through fasting, showing deep compassion; even toward his enemies. In Ezra 8:21, Ezra proclaimed a fast so the people could humble themselves before God and seek His guidance and protection. They fasted and prayed, trusting that God would protect them on their journey.

Fast to acknowledge how much you truly need God. Let fasting humble you so that God can move in your life. When we lower ourselves before Him, He lifts us up.

Prayer: Father God, teach me true humility. Help me to deny myself and seek You above all else. Break pride in my heart and remove every distraction that keeps me from fully focusing on You. As I humble myself before You, lead me, guide me, and move powerfully in my life. I acknowledge that I need You in every way.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.