How God Worked on Me While Fasting

God told me to fast; I treated Him like a door-to-door salesman. “I’m not interested.” He persisted; I yielded. Here’s how God worked on me while fasting.


God knocked on the door of my heart one day. I treated Him like a door-to-door salesman, “Yes, what is it?” He started talking to me about fasting. I tried to tell Him I wasn’t interested, but He was persistent.

I couldn’t believe what He responded! Do you want to know what it is? Brace yourself.

He wanted me to fast from my blog. Gasp! Air! Air! I need air! Gasp!

I didn’t exactly rush to the throne room to get a clear answer on how long; I threw a temper tantrum instead. In all honesty, I kept telling myself it might only be for a few days just to make myself feel better.

Not my blog, God!

I worried about my blog, you see.

What if someone is offended that I didn’t post anything for a whole week and unsubscribed in a fit of rage? Sob!

But deep down I knew He had His reasons, and He wouldn’t forsake this ministry. After I chose to obey Him, I looked forward to sitting at His feet. He gave me some theme verses from the 23rd Psalm for my fast.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3 ESV

How God Worked on Me While Fasting: Adjustments 

Since He gave me the above theme verses, I pictured in my mind a peaceful and submissive herd of sheep just chillin’. So I thought the duration of the fast would be one of serenity. But, the time spent with the Lord during the fast from my blog (which ended up being for three weeks) looked nothing like what I envisioned.

The phrase “he restores my soul” stayed with me; He brought restoration. But the truth is, I forgot how the shepherd has to use his staff to lead the sheep into safety.

What I experienced during this fast were times of testing, corrections, and rebukes. After the first week, I was wondering where the “laying down in green pastures” and being “led beside still waters” went!

Let me tell you, I looked back at the adjustments God made in my heart during the three weeks, and My Shepherd needed to use His rod with me. He needed to hook His staff around my neck and say, “No, not that way! This way!”

But He restored my soul in three specific areas, and I learned that restoration could begin with God’s chastisement and the need to repent. Yes, a dose of humble medicine, my friends.

When God worked on me while fasting, He tested me in three areas:

A Test of Surrender

I began my Daily Time with Him by analyzing some apathy that had surfaced in my heart. I told God how disappointing it was that my expectations of our time together weren’t being fulfilled. See, I felt like I hadn’t received any new revelation from my Shepherd. Right after I took Him to task, He showed me that the fault was mine.

Wait? What?

Then He revealed how I had started loving my blog more than I loved Him. It took first place. The blog fed me. It fulfilled me—for a while. I’d always heard that sheep aren’t too smart. Um…I felt very sheep-like.

An Obedience Test

In addition to the blog fast, He had me draw back from social media somewhat.

Not my friends, too, God! No! No. No.

Sometimes I started to spend time on Twitter or Facebook anyway, but there came that staff hooking my neck again. Would I allow attention to feed me? I sensed Him leading me to “still waters.”

At one point He had me go on a total social media fast for three days inside the three-week blog fast. He was testing me with putting obedience into practice. Then I enjoyed being fed by Him.

An Attitude Test

God also tested me a few times to see how I was going to respond to various situations among people. Initially, I wanted to hide, cry, and throw a pity party, but I was expected to be present and couldn’t leave the room. It was during those moments that my memory clicked:

I’ve been here before; I know how to respond in a way that will please the Lord.

Newfound strength rose up in public from those times of yielding in private. I chose to have the right attitude. Such joy!

True Love Is Tough Love

Was it easy? Ha! No.

Was it fun? Um…no.

But I have made Him my Lord, not just my Savior.

His rod and His staff comforted me through His nearness. Even if it sounds strange, I welcome His chastening because it means I’m His daughter growing into maturity (Hebrews 12:5-11). True love says what is best for you, not just what you want to hear.

That means He is the One who is in authority over me, and He’s in charge of changing me. I’m grateful He worked on me. Fasting is definitely worth the spiritual growth!

So…anyone ready to go on a fast? 😉 If you do, I’d love to know how God works on you while fasting!

Get More Encouragement for Your Next Fast


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34 Comments

  1. This is so helpful, Kelly. It’s a perpetual battle to keep a right perspective in this blogging life.

    1. kellyrbaker says:

      Indeed it is!

  2. Kelly, good for you to heed that still, small Voice and set aside your blog for a few weeks! (The blogosphere goes on with or without us, doesn’t it?) I love what you learned about choosing to have the right attitude … how something clicked in you and you remembered you could do it. My husband and I are doing the Whole30 this month and I need keep what you wrote in mind when the irritable moments come and I’m tempted to snap at the nearest unsuspecting person. 🙂

    1. kellyrbaker says:

      Good for you, Lois! I hear the Whole30 is no joke. The Holy Spirit empowers us as we yield to Him. More of Him and less of me.

  3. I always appreciate reading about someone’s experience with fasting. It’s not really a popular notion among Christ-followers for obvious reasons, Kelly! But it really can bring such renewed energy and focus to the tasks God’s called us to. I haven’t fasted in a while, so this convicts me and reminds me of the power of that one simple act of focused attention and devotion to the Lord. Thanks for sharing this powerful post, my friend! I love your transparency and willingness to go where the Lord leads–even if imperfectly at times! 😉 Love ya!

    1. kellyrbaker says:

      You are so right that fasting is not a popular subject. It seems God is often calling me to write about the unpopular topics. Even that is a struggle at times. So I appreciate your encouraging comment. I’m so happy to be connecting with you more, and love you too! 🙂

  4. Great post. I fasted in September for 22 days prior to our women’s conference. I also wrote about fasting and now it seems I’m being called to fast again. Thank you for sharing this, Kelly, as God is bringing me to this place again. Blessings to you as you move forward with Him.

    1. kellyrbaker says:

      I would love to read about it. What’s the link, Cindy?

  5. Very good stuff – thank you so much for sharing. For the last 3 years He has called me to a full social media fast for the entire month of January. The kicker? My birthday is in January! Like really God? You’re going to make me miss all my birthday messages on Facebook?! Lol! It’s always refreshing though!

    1. kellyrbaker says:

      Wow, that would really stretch me, Anna. Maybe you could throw a mock birthday party on the last day of December. 😉

  6. Love. Kelly, your honesty and vulnerability in fasting your blog were not only humorous but powerful. We often try to rearrange what God wants us to do or how obeying Him in a particular way fleshes out in our own mind. But we simply can’t change the bottom line of being obedient to the Lord. It will always be for our good and with our best interest in mind. The truths you gleaned from the Shepherd changed your heart and are now affecting the hearts of us with the blessing of reading this post. Thank you.

    1. kellyrbaker says:

      Thank you for saying that, Karen! My one word this year is trust. It actually started about a year ago. (I don’t always follow a 365-day rule on that.) Even after about a year, trusting is still sooo difficult! But God did so many good things in this fast and even afterward. I’m so glad you joined us here today!

  7. Wow, Kelly, thanks so much for sharing transparently here. Last summer and early fall there were some times I didn’t post on my blog. Not really a fast, but I sensed God directing me to leave it in Hi hands and not be so concerned about it, just to hold it loosely. It was a healthy thing for me. And those social media fasts do wonders for the soul, although I’ve never done one longer than a day or two. 🙂

    1. kellyrbaker says:

      Great to see you, Betsy! He leads us all individually to whatever we need the most. I love it that He is in the details of our lives. I think I tend to hold too tightly to things because He seems to lead me to fast blogging regularly. It’s been a few times at least. This story is only one instance. He seems to be working overtime on me. lol

  8. Oh my goodness, Kelly! WOW. It’s like you took the words right out of my mouth. I don’t think I could relate any more to a post than this. I also recently went through a social media fast for 2 weeks, and I really think God refreshed me during that time. And now, I feel like He’s leading me into a fasting time and I’m right where you are/were – feeling his gentle rebukes and finding a heart of surrender and repentance. Wow. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I loved reading this.

    1. kellyrbaker says:

      It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hanha! I’ll be praying for you. He has still continued speaking to me and working on me even today. Sometimes I just don’t have the words to explain (or at least until I think about it for a long time.) But as difficult as it is for my “flesh,” it is very refreshing for my “spirit.” If that makes sense. Continue to yield to Him; it’s always worth it!

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