The Fast That God Chooses 🥖
Scripture Reading – Isaiah 58 (NKJV)
1 “Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek Me daily,
And delight to know My ways,
As a nation that did righteousness,
And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;
They take delight in approaching God.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’“In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And exploit all your laborers.
4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate,
And to strike with the fist of wickedness.
You will not fast as you do this day,
To make your voice heard on high.
5 Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’“If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.13 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Personal Reflection
Recently, God has been teaching me that fasting — and really, all spiritual disciplines — aren’t about twisting His arm to give me what I want. They’re about surrender — not just a brief surrender in an emotional moment, but a true surrender that lasts. I’ve seen so many times when people will yield to God in a powerful, emotional moment, only to go back to life as usual the very next day.
Like many people, I’ve fasted in the past because I wanted something from God. But over the past year, I’ve learned something humbling: sometimes God will give us the very thing we’ve been asking for… just so we can discover it isn’t part of His perfect plan for us.
We often say we want God’s will — His perfect plan — yet we fight for our own will, our own desires. We pray for His direction, then wrestle Him for control. We say the enemy is blocking us and claim to be in spiritual warfare, blaming anything and everything around us — but in reality, it’s God who opens and closes all doors.
These past months have felt like a fight for my very life. I lost my main source of income, which put our household under deep financial strain. We've barely been able to make ends meet—only by the generous support of friends and family. Because of my strict dietary needs, I've often had to settle for cheaper foods that cause me pain, which adds to the challenge.
My marriage has been tested by these pressures, especially because my husband and I see some spiritual things differently. I view closed doors as God’s loving guidance and protection, while he feels I should fight harder for answers. But Scripture reminds me that God is in control and fights for His children.
As Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Because I pray over every opportunity that comes my way, I trust that if God closes a door, it’s for my good—even when people deny me jobs or opportunities they once promised. I don’t need to wrestle or strive in my own strength; I’m learning to rest in His sovereign plan.
I’ve lost friends recently I thought were for life over theological differences. I’ve seen brokenness within the church and within my own heart. God has been teaching me to walk with Him daily, to depend on His guidance and provision, to value His relationship above all else. He’s shown me how many people live on autopilot, trusting their own way more than His way — fighting spiritual battles they wouldn’t have to face if they would simply abide in Him.
Recently, I noticed a pattern: every time I get into my car, I instinctively reach for my phone, hoping to find comfort from family or friends about the struggles I’m facing. With how busy life is, driving is almost the only time I have to talk. But one day, the Holy Spirit stopped me just as I went to grab my phone and gently said, “Talk to Me instead.” It was like I was shaken awake from a daydream.
I realized the enemy wants to put me in danger every time I get behind the wheel by distracting me and pushing me to seek comfort from people who often aren’t truly listening. More times than not, when I reach out, I find that people are not hearing me; they assume things about my feelings or situation instead of really listening.
I’ve even observed my husband trying to have conversations where he looks people in the eye, but they blank out, walk away, or start talking to someone else mid-conversation. It’s so bizarre and sad.
This has been a hard but important lesson — to turn to God first, who always listens fully and never misunderstands.
Sometimes I wonder if my season of difficulty is God’s way of showing me how to truly trust Him — to prove, even to myself, that I’m willing to let everything go if it means walking in His perfect will. I’ve prayed harder prayers this year than ever before: for Him to remove anything in my life that displeases Him, for Him to close doors that look good but lead away from His plan. And He has. People think I’m crazy, but I know the One who saved me from a life of self-destruction. I know He will carry me through as long as I keep my eyes fixed on Him.
Yesterday, I decided I would begin a fast because I felt desperate to hear Him more clearly. This morning, without knowing what Isaiah 58 was about, God led me to it. As I read, I realized He was reminding me: I am hearing Him. And He delights more in my willingness to surrender all, to love deeply, to forgive freely, and to worship wholeheartedly than in any ritual I could perform.
Life Application
Isaiah 58 is a reminder that God’s “fast” is about more than food — it’s about loosening the chains of injustice, caring for the hurting, and living surrendered to His ways. He doesn’t just want our religious acts; He wants our lives.
In your own walk, ask:
Am I seeking God only to get something from Him, or to truly know Him?
Do my actions reflect His heart for others?
Am I willing to let go of my will so I can live in His?
When you surrender in this way, Isaiah 58 says your light will break forth like the morning — even in the darkest seasons.
Prayer
Lord, help me to desire what You desire. Teach me to fast from my own will, my own agenda, and to walk fully in Yours. Loosen every chain in my life that keeps me from loving You and loving others well. Let my life reflect Your heart so that when I call, You will say, “Here I am.” Amen.
Written by: Rylan Isabella Wicker
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