“As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.”
Job 5:8-9 (ESV)
Background & 5-Day Water Fasts
Have you ever felt resistant to change? I did not want to change my insulin dosage. About 25 years ago, while taking 18 units of long-acting Lantus insulin, my doctor recommended increasing my dosage to 30 units of Lantus, with no good explanation given. I didn’t want to do it. I had my diabetes under really good control. My A1C was under 7.0,1 which is great for people with type 1 diabetes. I kept taking 18 units until the winter of 2020.
In January 2020, I completed a 5-day water fast, during which I drank only water, fasted from food, and took no Lantus insulin. After this water fast, over the next five days, I started eating again and taking my usual 18 units of Lantus.
Suddenly, one week after completing the fast, my blood sugar levels were consistently low after meals, even though I followed my regular routines. To keep my blood sugar from getting too low, I had to eat 35% more than my usual amount. My wife suggested I take less long-acting Lantus insulin, and I agreed to reduce the dosage from 18 to 16 units. After doing this, my Humalog meal-time insulin effectiveness returned to 100%, and I no longer had to eat extra food. After four weeks, with no major disruptions to my food, exercise, and work schedules, my blood sugar levels were doing great, and I was still only taking 16 units of Lantus.
Full of joy, excitement, and an inquisitive mind that likes to push boundaries, I wondered what would happen if I did another 5-day water fast. Would I be able to lower my long-acting Lantus insulin even more? In the past, I had experimented with decreasing my Lantus dosage by 1 unit, which resulted in high blood sugar levels until I went back to 18 units of Lantus. Not this time! Something had changed after the fast. I was excited about the possibilities.
Before I share my experiences with additional water fasts, I want to note something related to one of my favorite characters in the Bible (Job).
What is a “Job Experience”?
As a child, I recall hearing and reading about the serious trials God allowed Job to endure, and, through it all, Job praised God rather than getting upset and angry (see Job 1:6-2:10). God allowed these experiences to happen to Job because He knew His servant Job would endure through it, and it was a witness to the entire universe of a faithful follower of God. The experience showed that Job was truly loyal to God, even though Satan had declared otherwise, and that Job trusted God even in adversity—no matter the cost to himself. Job had to get beyond the “why,” which we don’t always understand, and get to the “who”—trusting Who is in control.
Why is this story in the Bible? Do all of us go through trials and adversities? This story can encourage and enlighten us on how to get through these difficulties.
In the story of Job, God gives us a behind-the-scenes view of the battle between good and evil and of His sovereignty. We may never fully understand why evil things happen. There are evil decisions and activities that are done outside of God’s will, because we have freedom of choice. We may never fully understand why we have the trials we do,2 but we can trust that God has our greater good in mind and wants to teach us, heal us, and grow us through all of these difficulties. I hope the rest of what I’m about to share will encourage, enlighten, and empower you to be faithful to Him no matter what.
“Job Experience” #1
(See Job 1:6-22 for the Biblical account of what happened to Job the first time).
Driven by my curiosity and love of pushing boundaries, I decided to do another 5-day water fast just a month after my first one. What would happen this time?
Excitement grew because the same thing happened again. This time, I was able to reduce the number of long-acting Lantus units from 16 to 14. Thrilled, I decided to do a third 5-day water fast, but instead of my Lantus dosage dropping to 12 units, I experienced two disappointments, one of which shook me mentally and spiritually.
Disappointment 1. After my third 5-day water fast, my Lantus dosage jumped from 14 units back to 18 units. I was very disappointed and puzzled.
Disappointment 2. This disappointment far surpassed the first disappointment. It was something I’d never experienced in all my years of diabetes. What happened? I was back to daily taking 18 units of Lantus and staying consistent with my activities and schedule, but I began experiencing many abnormal blood sugar levels where my meal-time insulin suddenly was only working at 50% effectiveness or even less. This situation would swing from one good day when my insulin worked normally to a bad day when it did not—with no warning. I had to figure out how to adjust on the fly and try to avoid a severe low blood sugar or a damaging high one. Some of these abnormalities lasted 24 hours, and others lasted five consecutive days. I never knew how long it would last.
How did that impact me?
Well, imagine eating a plate of spaghetti, a salad, and one slice of garlic bread, and four hours later, your blood sugar is at a good level of 100 with the insulin you took. Now imagine eating the same thing, and instead of your blood sugar being 100 after four hours, it’s a very high 350—for no apparent reason. This means that, suddenly, your meal-time insulin effectiveness is 50% or worse, and you have to figure out how to adjust quickly; then this happens at every meal for 15 meals in a row. During this time, you compensate by eating less food or, if you’re diabetic, taking more Humalog meal-time insulin. Suddenly, on the 16th meal, after you’ve made these adjustments, everything changes back, and you have to eat a LOT more spaghetti and 2 extra slices of garlic bread because your meal-time insulin is back to 100% effectiveness with no warning.
Stomach exhaustion! Anger! Frustration! Bewilderment! After an exhausting month of dealing with sudden, abnormal drops and then corrections in my Humalog insulin effectiveness with no explanation—I had experienced no sickness and no change in my work, exercise, or food routine—I turned to the One who has all the answers. I cried out to God and asked, “What is going on!?” Silence! I cried out to God again. Silence! I pleaded with God, asking, “Why is this happening to me?”
In a still, soft voice to my mind, I heard, “Let go and let Me lead you. Let Me have full control of everything in your life. Yes, even your diabetes. I’m allowing this. Trust Me. Depend on Me. I’m teaching you to turn to Me. I am with you!”
Over the following year, I found it easier to accept the sudden drops in my Humalog effectiveness, which occurred about once or twice a month. It wasn’t easy, but I took comfort in knowing God was with me, which helped. Eventually, after a year, I felt much more at peace when these episodes occurred, reaching a point where I trusted God completely, regardless of my blood sugar levels or insulin effectiveness.
Divine Intervention
In April 2022, I asked a pastor friend of mine to conduct an anointing for me, during which I asked God to permanently heal me from type 1 diabetes. Instead of healing me permanently from my diabetes, God performed two miracles. Over the following three months, God removed both parts of the “Job Experience” from me. The first miracle occurred within one week. God removed the abnormal blood sugar episodes noted in Disappointment 2 above, and they did not come back—praise the Lord for His mighty power! The second miracle happened three months after the anointing. My blood sugar readings started getting low throughout the day, with no other changes to my diet or exercise routine. I lowered my Lantus insulin from 18 units to 17, then to 16, then to 15, and finally to 14. God “gave me back” (just like what He did with Job, see Job 42:12-16) what I had prior to the “Job Experience”—I was once again taking 14 units of insulin. Praise the Lord!
More Fasting & “Job Experience” #2
(See Job 2:3-10 for the Biblical account of what happened to Job the second time).
Over the next three years, I was curious to try water fasts again. I did more 5-day water fasts, and each time my Lantus dosage reduced by 2 units—eventually going from 14 units down to 6 units. It was unbelievable, and I was elated. However, there came again one exception. The last 5-day water fast was different. Instead of being able to decrease my Lantus insulin by 2 units again, my meal-time insulin effectiveness got worse and worse, and instead of decreasing my Lantus dosage from 6 to 4, I had to increase it from 6 to 10 units. After doing this, my Humalog effectiveness returned to 100%,3 and I experienced normalized blood sugar levels after eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Although disappointed that I had to increase my Lantus dosage, I remained very thankful that I was still not experiencing abnormal blood sugar episodes like before—praise God for this.
Twice, God allowed Satan to attack Job, and both times Job did not sin against God. Instead of cursing God, he praised God.
During my second “Job Experience”, God reminded me that He allowed two experiences to happen to Job. They were connected yet separate events, recorded in Scripture, and all part of the book of Job. During this reminder, I realized God was allowing me to experience two different but connected “Job Experiences.” Both had to do with my diabetes and insulin needs.
Is it easy to praise God when trials come our way? It’s been hard for me, but I’ve been learning to praise God more in the tough times.
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)
Would God Remove My Second “Job Experience”?
Over the last 14 days, God has done it again! One night, before going to bed, I searched and searched for my Lantus pen, and it was nowhere to be found. I prayed. Nothing. I prayed again. I still couldn’t find it. I looked everywhere, even opening a trash bag I had taken outside for the trash truck to take. Still nothing. Exhausted, I fell asleep, not taking any Lantus insulin that night.
Surprisingly, the next day, my Humalog effectiveness was much better than it usually is when I forget to take my Lantus insulin (which has rarely happened). Later that evening, I contemplated reducing my Lantus dosage from 10 to 8 units. I kept searching and praying, trying to locate my Lantus pen. At 11pm, I checked my chair—where I had looked multiple times—and found my Lantus pen sitting there. I couldn’t believe it. That’s impossible! How did my pen end up there? I believe my angel placed my Lantus pen there, just for me. Can you guess what happened next?
I decreased my Lantus dosage to 8 units, and my Humalog was 100% effective. Previously, whenever I decreased Lantus, it was because my Humalog effectiveness was 135%4 or higher, and I would drop my Lantus dosage by 2 units each time until the Humalog effectiveness reached 100%. This time was different. By faith, I reduced it from 10 units to 8, then to 6. Praise God, my Humalog stayed 100% effective.
In God’s mercy, love, and unfathomable power, He has restored me to 6 units of Lantus. Is this the last diabetic miracle God will perform for me? No! I know it is not the last diabetic miracle—the best is still to come!!
Call to Action
Maybe you’ve experienced many trials or maybe just a few; no matter the number, remember to cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). God loves you more than you can imagine! Will you pause, pray, and surrender your trials and your life to Him today?
Maybe you’ve experienced many miracles in your life, or maybe a few, or maybe none that you can see. God is ready and willing to do more in your life than you can imagine. Will you pause, pray, and ask God to do something for you today?
Trust God’s Word. Move forward in faith. Claim the promises below, and others in God’s Word, and expect BIG THINGS to happen, and they will.
“It is He who does great things, the unfathomable, and wondrous works without number.”
Job 9:10 (NASB)
“In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
Psalm 5:3 (NIV)
Unless noted otherwise, scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture noted as NIV above is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman \ Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
- My A1C has remained under 7.0 for the last 25 years—before, during, and after the 5-day water fasts.
- Thy Will Be Done by Pastor Lee Vendon: Amazing sermon to better understand why God permits evil in this world and to better understand the will of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgz2DjfNE-g
- Sliding scale = 1 unit of Humalog for every 10 carbohydrates.
- Another way to look at this is that I normally needed to eat an extra 35% food until I adjusted my Lantus dosage down, and my Humalog effectiveness reached 100% again.
