The Fast: DAY 19
Thursday, January 22
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Devotion
It is easy to say that we trust God with our whole heart and yet another thing to actually do so. Often, we find that we trust Him with some things and not with others. Or we just may not trust His timing and take things into our own hands like Sarah did when she would not wait on God to provide the son that she was promised. Her lack of trust in God’s timing and her pride in taking things into her own hands has affected generations even to this day because Ishmael came from that decision.
To lean on our own understanding apart from God is a flawed plan. Human intellect and logic is limited. However, the Lord sees the big picture. God’s understanding is so vast that it would take us many lifetimes to grasp a fraction of what God knows. He is our Creator, and He has good plans for us. We can trust His understanding and ability to know what is best for His children. He is the author of our story. Psalms 139 says, “All your days were written before you were born.”
Jeremiah 29:11–15: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” If we acknowledge Him in all we do, He will guide our steps and make our path straight. It is His delight to unfold His plans for our lives as we learn to trust Him with our path. We can trust that His plans for our life will bring hope and a future. Satan has plans for us as well, to kill, steal from us, and destroy us. As you fast, you may be looking for direction for 2026. Trust God to make your path straight.
Today's Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I humble myself before You, to Your plans, thoughts, and ways, for they are so much higher than my own. Lead me in the way that I should walk, for You have seen the days before me, even before any one of them was written. I trust in You and need You. You are my Heavenly Father and my God. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Apply It Today
Being still and waiting upon the Lord is a discipline that pays back dividends. It puts Him in first place in our lives, where He belongs. As Moses pleaded with the Lord that he was unwilling to make a move if His Presence did not go with him, we are saying the same thing when we wait on Him. That is what we are doing when we fast. Pray before Him, and He will answer you.
Resources
- Take a moment to watch this short clip, “Trusting God’s Plans”. If you’ve ever wrestled with uncertainty or timing, this is a gentle reminder that God is at work even when we can’t see it.
- Join the Free Chapel Facebook Group community—a place to stay connected, encouraged, and growing together in faith during the fast and beyond. Let’s pray, share testimonies, and walk this journey as one family.
- Each day, pray: “Lord, make my path straight—even if it’s different than what I expected.”
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