Entry 52- When Someone Asks: “Won’t You Eat? Are You Fasting?”

Let’s be honest, if you’ve ever been fasting, you know that one person who will look at your untouched plate and say loudly, “Ah, won’t you eat? Are you fasting?” And somehow, they ask at the exact moment when your stomach has chosen to audition for a percussion band.

In those moments, you might feel a mix of pride (“Yes, I’m fasting!”) and a tiny hint of awkwardness (“Now the whole table knows…”). But Jesus had a very specific way He wanted us to respond to fasting and it wasn’t through public announcements or facial expressions that scream “I’m suffering for the Lord.”

In Matthew 6:16–18, Jesus says:

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

What does that mean in everyday life?

It means when you’re fasting, you still smile. You still laugh at jokes. You still walk into the lunchroom without giving a dramatic sigh. If someone asks why you’re not eating, you don’t have to announce your spiritual discipline like you’re breaking news. You can simply say, “I’m good, thanks,” or “I’ll eat later.”

Imagine you’re at work and the cake for Ekua’s birthday is making its rounds. You’re on day two of your fast. Instead of saying, “Oh, I wish I could, but I’m fasting,” with a martyr’s tone, you can politely decline and keep your peace. That’s because your fasting is between you and God- not between you, God, and the entire office WhatsApp group.

This doesn’t mean you should lie. It simply means you should protect the intimacy of your time with God. Just as you wouldn’t broadcast a private conversation with a loved one, your fast is a personal offering. God values the quiet sacrifice just as much, if not more, than the loud declaration.

And here’s the beautiful thing: the reward is not from people. People might clap, admire your “discipline,” or even feel inspired, but the true blessing, breakthrough and spiritual intimacy come from God Himself.

Dear God, help me to keep my fasting and other acts of devotion between You and me. Teach me to walk in joy, even in sacrifice, and to guard my intimacy with You. May my heart be more focused on pleasing You than impressing people.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Entry 51- Dear God, Thank You

Some days it’s not the big miracles that leave me in awe, it’s the little ones. The things I would’ve missed if I didn’t pause.

Like the way I always seem to find parking on days I’m running late (even though I never learn my lesson 😅).

Or how I ran into an old friend on a day I needed a reminder that I’m not alone.

Or that moment the electricity came back just before I was about to step into the shower. ECG, I see you.

Sometimes gratitude doesn’t come in loud praise, but in a whisper, a smile, a breath. A deep sigh that says, “Dear God, thank You.”

Zachariah 4:10 ( NIV) “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?”

It’s easy to thank God for the big breakthroughs- the job, the healing, the open door. But lately, I’ve been learning to say thank You for the little, quiet things. The things that remind me that He’s near. That He sees. That He cares.in…” –

I don’t want to be someone who only praises God when the mountain moves.

I want to be the kind of daughter who notices her Father in the sunrise, in the kind stranger, in the unexpected moment of peace when my mind finally slows down.

I want to be found thankful- even when things feel repetitive or slow or delayed.

Because the truth is, even in the routine, He’s doing something.

Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

So, here’s to the little things:

A glass of chilled water.

A song that lifts your spirit.

A moment of laughter in a hard week.

A delay that protected you.

A verse that spoke right to your heart.

The more I notice, the more I give thanks.

The more I give thanks, the more I realize… I’m already surrounded by blessings.

Lord, thank You for the small things- the ones I overlook, the ones I forget to mention.

Open my eyes to see You in the everyday.

Remind me that You’re not just the God of breakthroughs but the God of breath and being.

Help me to live with a heart that notices and gives thanks.

Amen.