A Beautiful Encounter

A week has passed since our Prayer and Fast 2021 has ended. This was led by Every Nation all over the world with the theme “Awesome God” in which during the five-day prayer and fast, we focused on knowing God and his attributes. Unlike normal fasting, we did not necessarily fast on food rather we fasted on the things that took most of our time which would have been allocated for worshipping God and having a rest. As for me, I fasted on watching K-Dramas and KPOP, scrolling through my social media accounts, and sleeping late at night.

On the first day, it was difficult to change the pattern of my daily routine. I feel like doing it was more difficult because I am doing it in the comforts of my home – where all the temptations are lying in every corner. I was reminded by my Retreat and Recollection days where we used to visit a church for two nights. It was similar to our Prayer and Fast but it was done far from our hometown. Though I hoped it was done that way, I think doing our Prayer and Fast at home was a significant one because it tells me that being taken away from temptation makes the battle easier. On the other hand, being near to the temptations and finding the strength to endure them makes the battle worthier.

It was a tough start. It was only later that day, after we finished our devotion, that the reality has sunk on me. I decided to take it earnestly, willingly, and eagerly with a heart of unshaken faith. I promised God that on the next days I will only think of Him alone and through His guidance, the next days became easier.

Do you know why?

It is because pleasing God is easy. It was easy yet in the past years of my life I have wastefully thought of a stunning way to make Him happy. My days started simply. I wake up around 6:30 am and pray. Then around 9:00 am, my prayer partner and I would start discussing the day’s devotion and in the afternoon I read the devotion again and write important points in my journal. Finally, at night I watch another brief discussion of the devotion on Every Nation’s Youtube Channel.

On some days, I went for early walks around our neighborhood and watch the sunrise. On some nights, I listen to Every Nation’s podcast or write a new article for this blog site. During the other time not mentioned, I do house chores or make myself busy by continuing some of my unfinished line arts.

Though I do other things, it was astonishing that my mind still wonders about knowing God and remembering what we have discussed in the morning. I try to remember when He has shown that trait of Him in my life, and when the memories come oozing, I couldn’t help but smile.

I could say that in my whole life, I have never thought about God and pleasing Him in a very long period as I did in that five days. It was like I was in love with Him! I think of Him every minute of my day even when my eyes are closed. I feel thrilled whenever I reminisce the days I have experienced His goodness. But did you know? Worshipping God is similar to being in love with Him. Being in love with Him will make us want to know him more and knowing Him will allow us to be more obedient to His commands. All of us need to stay in love with God and if we do, pleasing and worshipping Him becomes a natural and spontaneous way just like our lifestyle.

Those five days were my beautiful encounters with God. Most of the nights where I end my day, I couldn’t help but cry in my prayer. I couldn’t understand why would God love me unchangingly when my love for him wavers from time to time. On my different seasons, his love remains. And for the first time, I have understood that God is not only patient with me but is also long-suffering. He is always slow to anger in which He loves us so much he did not want us to suffer from his anger but to come to repentance.

I have had a glimpse of what a life lived with and for God feels like – a life simple yet bountiful. The words I have written will never be enough to describe the feelings I have felt in those days, so if you could, I encourage you to do this too. Find a week to spend your time only for Him. You can download the guide by clicking on the button below. You can also visit Every Nation’s Youtube channel for the discussion of the five-day topics. If you do, I am rooting for you. May God bless you always!

We need to pray to connect ourselves to God. We need to fast to disconnect ourselves from the world.

– Marjorie O.

Article by Chlarissa Mae