Spiritual Disciplines | Fasting
In today’s culture, it seem like everyone is one some form of diet. We pay great attention to what we eat, crafting meal plans to meet our desired physical goals. Yet, when it comes to Spiritual fasting, most people tend to push back and rarely practice this discipline. The fact that we push back clearly demonstrates the importance of our need too fast. At some point,. we have given in to the habits and requests of the flesh for our sustenance. Fasting dethrones the false Gods in our life and trusts God to provide everything we need to not only survive but thrive.
The goal is fasting to the promotion of God in our life as we trust him to provide for everything we need. It is not punishment or a task we must begrudgingly go through, but an honor to discipline and orient our lives in continued trust of God. Fasting dethrones the idol of food and self-indulgence by denying the most basic need to gain the greatest glory. It aligns our soul to feed on the fullness of God rather than seeking to be sustained elsewhere. Furthermore, while most of our experience comes in the form of corporate fasting. While there are times when this is appropriate, fasting should be a personal experience between us and the Lord. We do not boast in our fasting or dismay in our devotion, instead we hold our head high, knowing that we have chosen the ultimate provider, the God of Heaven and Earth.
And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18, ESV
Fasting
At it’s core, fasting involves removing something from our lives (usually not sinful, we should simply quit these all together) in order to pursue the will and mind of God by cutting out distractions and idols. Usually, this has historically been done with fasting food for periods of time ranging from one day to forty days. While there are plenty of guides for fasting, our goal in fasting remains the same; we deny ourselves of what we think is essential for life to trust in God’s profound ability to provide life itself. Many challenges will poise themselves during a fast and the following are a few things to bear in mind.
- Remember Why You Are Fasting Too often, I have seen people’s attention shift to the effects of lack of eating as some of the primary benefits. People have bragged with one another about their weight loss, the depth of what they gave up. While accountability (and to a certain extent, friendly competition) can be good, these things lose sight of the goal. We are not fasting to slim down or prove that we are better than others. Instead, we are fasting to dethrone idols in our lives and concentrate on God’s renewal and transformation in our lives.
- Include Other Disciplines Fasting a unique Spiritual Discipline in that it should be accompanied by some of the other Spiritual Disciplines. The goal is not to simply not eat, but to refocus the body on the Lord as the sustainer and provider. When you fast devote that time to the Lord. Spend time in prayer and meditation. Fasting is a removal discipline in that is takes things out. But rather than leave a vacuum, we must allow God to fill the void we have left by actively pursuing His presence.
- Hold Your Head High If we spend our time complaining about our fast or trying to draw attention to our fast, we trade the reward of the pursuit of God for the temporary and failing glory of the approval of mankind. Keep an accountability partner, but be cautious to not become braggadocios in your fast. The goal of a fast is self-denial not self-indulgence, even emotional self-indulgence.
Don’t be afraid to use plans and other items to guide you. Also, don’t be scared to start small. One of the many joys of our relationship with Jesus Christ comes from His willingness to meet us where we are at. If we set out to do a 40 day fast as our first fast, we may become quickly discouraged without a guide and without accountability. Start where you are but grow from there. There is no shame in starting with a partial fast or a day long fast. The importance comes from our heart in pursuit to dethrone the idols of our self-indulgence for the magnificence of God’s everlasting and perfect provision.
