Today was breakthrough.
You may remember a few weeks ago I shared about fasting and praying for breakthrough for 40 days. I’m nearing the end of these 40 days and can finally answer the question, What does “breakthrough” look like?
I had some ideas of areas I was hoping to see this kind of extreme, miraculous growth in. On various days of the fast I would name these areas specifically in my prayers. Things like:
- Breakthrough for my ministry. This would be in the front of my mind most, as Jesus fasted for 40 days before he began his public ministry. After leaving those 40 days in the wilderness, he preached the Sermon on the Mount. I would call that a breakthrough.
- Breakthrough for my relationships. Yes, plural. There were many people I have been praying specifically for through this fast.
- Breakthrough for what else? If I really am honest and vulnerable–hard to do that sometimes as a writer online–I could list out several things that could use a dramatic shift for the better.
It’s tempting to think “breakthrough” means more, but I’ve learned it also means less. And that’s what a fast really is, isn’t it? Lessening. The lessening of yourself. The lessening of your desires. I’m reminded again of Jesus, this time praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. His prayer for breakthrough was simple: Your will, not mine.
It’s not a denial of our own ideas, feelings, or desires. Instead, it is a lessening of ourselves as a reminder that these ideas, feelings, and desires are less than God’s will.
It’s also tempting to think that lessening means we give up, but I would again suggest it’s more about alignment. Certainly fasting is about giving something up. But in this denying of our wants or needs, and then realizing we’re actually just fine without it, that’s when alignment comes in. With less distractions in our minds or bellies, our wants become clearer and more attuned to what we actually do need.
I was expecting breakthrough to be external–a door opening, an overdue apology finally coming, a boom in preaching and teaching opportunities! But breakthrough is actually our daily bread. It’s exactly what we need each day. And isn’t that as much of a miracle?
This refocus on daily bread–an internal breakthrough on what I truly need–was unexpected. But if I am to believe God is who he says he is, then this remembrance of daily bread is my daily bread for today. Remembering it is all I actually need today. Nothing else in my life needs to change today. I have all I need–I have the breakthrough I’ve been praying for.
Today was breakthrough. After nearly 40 days of prayer and fasting, I have my daily bread which is exactly enough for me.
