I need advice

[Ioustinos]

...

 

[seekingpurity047]

Hey Jesaiah, I know how you feel, however, I hvae never fasted much about it.

Here's the issue, one which I fear most people fall into. As I was reading your post, I couldn't help but notice that you were trusting in your flesh to make God answer your prayer, and you haven't really been trusting the Lord. There's a famous quote that I really like (though I do not know who thought it up, sorry!) and it really pretty much solves the problem. "No confidence in the flesh; Only Christ will do." Trust in God. You don't need to fast and prove yourself worthy of God's answer for Him to answer, becuase, as a human being, you surely are not. None of us are worthy of His presence at all. We have to trust in Him and His love, then you will notice that prayers will be answered up the wall.

So, my words of wisdom are short and simple. Stop trusting in the flesh (even though it may seem that fasting is neglecting the flesh, but that's a human thing to do... if you know what i mean... it's like committing to more prayer, etc. Still a human thing to do.) Just trust in God to answer your prayer, there is nothing that you can do to make Him answer your prayer. God is completely sovereign, and He will answer your prayer when He is ready, and He knows that you are ready for it to be answered (even though you already think you are). Just trust in Christ, and He will respond in due time.

Randy

 

[reformedfan]

prayer & prayer & fasting aren't our ways to twist God's arm into doing our will, His will gets done no matter where we stand on the issue.

 

[JJB]

Hi Jesaiah.

I've gone through a situation where I had all the symptoms of stress you are describing: loss of hair, sleepless nights, depression, anxiety. Here are some things I can see and say now that I am on the other side of it:

the anxiety, sleepless nights were due to worrying. I was not turning things over to the Lord, even tho I thought I was as I was pretty much at the bottom. But it turned out the bottom was a bit lower than that. When I could finally, in all honesty, say, "Ok Lord, I don't know what else you want from me. You can have any and all. I'm tired of thinking and worrying about it" shortly thereafter things changed for me.

The other thing I can say is that I miss those times, even tho they were the toughest. It was my biggest growth spurt so far in my spiritual life.

Be encouraged, Jesaiah. God is not far off as it feels, He is still with you. He is the one who is faithful. The answer will come, but all in God's timing.

 

[Ioustinos]

...

 

[Erinwilcox]

I suppose the best way would be to pray for God to help you to trust in Him. Also remember that God will withhold no good thing from His people. But, good to God may not seem good to you. Pray that God would help you to surrender your will to Him. Remember Romans 8:28 (that is a wonderful verse for reminding a Christian that God is working all things to his good) and that God ALWAYS answers prayer-but He might not answer it in the way that you want. God might answer in a yes, a no, a wait, etc. But He always answers the prayers of His saints. If you would like, I will try to keep you in my prayers as you seek to trust God fully.

 

[akolouthein]

Brother, this is one of the passages I look to when I just feel so stressed out and feel like I have too much on me. Turning everything over to God is by no means an easy thing to do. I just tell God " Soverign Lord, this thing is troubling me and I cannot handle this on my own. I turn this over to you and ask that your perfect will be done with it. Knowing that you have nothing planned for me that is not to the glory of your kingdom." Then I just have to rely on my faith in Christ and try to keep from solving the issues all on my own. Just remember that there is NO prayer from a child of God that goes unanswered. If you receive no answer at all , that very well may be God's way of saying the answer is no or that the time is not right to answer that question, depending on the circumstances.

Matthew 11: 27-29
27All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

 

[edie19]

Brother, this is one of the passages I look to when I just feel so stressed out and feel like I have too much on me. Turning everything over to God is by no means an easy thing to do. I just tell God " Soverign Lord, this thing is troubling me and I cannot handle this on my own. I turn this over to you and ask that your perfect will be done with it. Knowing that you have nothing planned for me that is not to the glory of your kingdom." Then I just have to rely on my faith in Christ and try to keep from solving the issues all on my own. Just remember that there is NO prayer from a child of God that goes unanswered. If you receive no answer at all , that very well may be God's way of saying the answer is no or that the time is not right to answer that question, depending on the circumstances.

Matthew 11: 27-29
27All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

My absolute favorite passage of Scripture. Those words have seen me through a lot of trials over the years.

 

[mlqurgw]

Back in 2004 I fasted for over 100 days (the longest being a 40 day fast) and I was fasting for an answer to prayer or more specifically that God would grant my request. Yet the prayer went unanswered and in return more problems came my way. This really hurt me and has strained my relationship with the Lord. I have started a 7 day fast again as a way to seek the Lord to please answer my prayer, yet I am thinking of quiting not because I can't go without food but because in the back of my mind I doubt that God will answer my prayer because if he didn't answer it in regards to the 100 days of fasting why would a 7 day fast change his mind?

So I don't know if I want to stop or keep going because I want this prayer to be answered so badly. This situation that I am praying about has taken place over a three year period and I have been depressed, anxious, nervous, I haven't had a goodnights rest especially in the past two months and now my hair is thinning out due to stress. I am tired of feeling ignored by the Lord but I don't know what to do. I wish that this issue could be resolved but it seems the more I pray the further and more distant the Lord seems to be.

So any wisdom?

I rarely give advice because people rarely follow it. But you seem to really need it. I will ask you, has all your worry, stress and concern changed one thing? Of course it hasn't. To be blunt, your problem is unbelief, which we all struggle with. We say that God always does good for His people but do we really believe it and rest in it? Give up your fasting, you will not get God to give you what you want by it. Quit looking at yourself or to yourself and look to Christ. Focus your attention on Him and learn of Him and this temporary thing will pass. It is temporary, I have lived long enough to be able to say that nothing in this life is permanent. While it may be years before it passes you will find yourself in another situation down the road. Patience is learned through trial. Faith is increased the same way. I know it is extremely difficult but you must trust in God. I realize my advice may sound harsh and uncompassionate but I do understand that whatever it is that you are so concerned about will work out in the end. My prayers are with you.

 

[theFijian]

prayer & prayer & fasting aren't our ways to twist God's arm into doing our will, His will gets done no matter where we stand on the issue.

Amen.