“Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” 1 Kings 21:29
“When the wicked king Ahab heard the rebuke of Elijah, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted. God’s response to Elijah was, “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house” (1 Kings 21:29). God called Ahab’s fasting humility. Indeed, we can fast but not actually humble ourselves.
Fasting itself, is not humility; Ahab also tore his clothes and mourned. Fasting is your personal expression of your heart of humility before the Lord. David similarly mentioned fasting as a way to humility: “I humbled myself with fasting” (Psalm 35:13)… The Bible gives us a command to humble ourselves before God. We shouldn’t pray for God to humble us, nor should we wait for life to humble us. We choose to humble ourselves by giving serious attention to Almighty God, taking ourselves off the throne through fasting.
When fasting is used to humble ourselves before God, it can’t escape God’s attention. The choice is ours. The Bible emphasizes the importance of humility: God teaches the humble (Psalm 25:9), lifts up the humble (Psalm 147:6), gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34), and gives wisdom to the humble (Proverbs 11:2). Honor and life and riches come by humility (Proverbs 22:4), God dwells with humble people (Isaiah 57:15), and the humble are great in God’s kingdom (Matthew 18:4).
This doesn’t mean that if we just fast, all these promises automatically become ours. Fasting must be a personal expression of humility. It’s humility that God is looking for, and fasting is a good friend of prayer and humility.”
Vladimir Savchuk in A Beginner’s Guide to Fasting: Simple, Practical, Biblical (Pasco, WA: 2024) 15-16.
In our reading we have already learned that fasting disconnects us from the world and prayer connects to God. Now we notice that fasting serves as a doorway for the humility that God desires, even for seemingly undeserving Ahab.
The Global Gathering wraps up this weekend. It has gone beyond imagination. I am so thankful we fasted Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. God showed up for us in powerful ways. Though we are all undeserving Ahab, his generosity abounds.
When fasting leads to humility, God teaches us, gives grace to us, honors us, and dwells with us. I suggest that everyone augment their generosity with fasting. It humbles and positions you for greater service.
It helps you disconnect from the world and connect to a generous God who wants to convert you from a container of His blessings to a conduit. It’s not over here. Keep fasting and praying for me. I can’t do this alone.