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Quit Placating Yourself (Impact Hard Devotional: Day 68)

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Fasting & Hungering for God

Quit Placating Yourself

“‘Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.’ So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.”

Joel 2:12-13

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Fasting. Weeping. Mourning. Those are three spiritual practices that are typically avoided at all costs. You don’t hear a lot of songs about fasting, weeping, and mourning on the Christian radio station that is “positive and encouraging and safe for the whole family.” If you do hear any preacher talking about weeping and mourning, it is usually in relation to how you can stop weeping and mourning and start singing and dancing instead.

What if instead of running from the hard work of spiritual growth, we ran into it? According to the Lord, the way to return to God with all your heart is through fasting, weeping, and mourning. King David wrote of this in Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” When we fast, we allow ourselves to become painfully aware of our need for God. When we weep over our sins and mourn for our brokenness, the sin in our world, those who are hurting or do not yet know Christ, God changes us deeply from the inside out.

Is it possible that we are in such a hurry to placate ourselves and remove all of our pain that we are being detoured from the most direct path to intimacy with God? What if Psalm 34:18 was meant to be more than just a source of comfort, but actually a road map for closeness to God?

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Do you want to be closer to God? Perhaps allowing yourself to be brokenhearted more regularly might prompt a bond with Christ unlike anything else you have ever tried. Fasting is often the most effective way to bring yourself into a place of brokenness with God.

Would you be willing to try fasting?

Reflection: (Don’t skip this!)

What do I need to know?
How do I need to grow?
Where does this need to show up in my life?

Take the challenge, step up to the task, and watch God transform your life, your relationships and your legacy over the next 75 days in God’s Word.

Join the IMPACT Hard 75 Day Challenge!

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To Equip & Encourage

Quit Placating Yourself (Impact Hard Devotional: Day 68)

Quit Placating Yourself

IMPACT HARD | 75 Day Devotional for Men | © 2026

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