This week we among the Inspired to Action staff have been talking about what the 40 Day Fast meant to each of us on a personal level.  Kristin talked about being ready for action, while Kat emphasized small steps over huge change, Laura was moved by thoughts of our responsibility to the poor, and Amy was most impacted by the actual sacrifice of the fast.

For me, the impact was not in the organizations. I’ve known about - even talked about - many of these same (or similar) groups in the past, and so know them well.  It wasn’t in the grouping of such a number of people devoted to this purpose of prayer and sacrifice as devotion to those in need, in the name of God - though this is truly an awesome thing.  It also was not the words of any one participant in the fast, though many of the posts affected me deeply.  The lasting impact in me is the beautiful portrait of hope painted over the past 40+ days.

God calls us to hold on, in faith, and to hope in Him.  This is too easy for those of us sitting in recliners in climate controlled rooms; but for those for whom we’ve been fasting and praying, hope is a tangible necessaty of life.  As much as water or food, as much as medicine or freedom, people need hope.  Hope that there is more than the bonds of this mortal life, hope that relief from pain and suffering may come, hope that someone will care enough about us to lift us from our pit of despair.  Hope, even when there is no reason to have hope.

My lasting thoughts for this 40 Day Fast are this: I cannot save the world, I cannot even begin to help all the people who are out there trying to save the world.  No matter what I do, what any of us does, there is evil in the world that will result in the suffering of others.  What I can do is my best to bring hope to people.  Hope that someone cares, hope that someone wants to help them, hope that God hears their pleas, and hope that He will answer their cry.  Part of how I will do this is through some of the groups that have been highlighted the last 40 days, but part of it will be my personal effort.  Not hiding behind the auspices of some other group, I must show people God’s love, personally, and let them know of His hope for us all.

What can we all do to spread the hope of God - the hope of His provision for our needs and of our salvation - to those around the world?

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