I had to decide if this was really something I wanted to share or not. I prayed about it. I listened to what God would have me do. I sought out the counsel of some Godly women I know. I was concerned if this was a topic that should be shared. Fasting. The Bible does warn against outwardly discussing spiritual matters that might be best kept between you and The Lord, but in the end, I felt like this was something I should share.
The point is that this isn’t about me or what I’m doing, but about what God is doing in my life. I decided to invite you along to share in this time.
Today I felt like God led me to fast. It kind of came out of no where, but somehow I wasn’t surprised by it at all. I had felt like God was really trying to impart something of importance to me all morning, but the fullness of it seemed to slip from my grasp.
To begin let’s define fasting for those who may be unaware. To fast is to abstain or withhold food, drink, or both for a designated amount of time. There are several types of fasts, and they are especially popular in the diet/fitness world as a way to physically cleanse your body of impurities. Many celebrities will perform a fast before red carpet events to look their best.
What I’ll be discussing today and over the next several days of this series is not a fast for weight-loss or physically cleansing purposes, but rather a religious fast.
Both the Old and New Testaments speak about prayer and fasting. It was held in high regard and even Jesus performed fasts and advocated them to His disciples.
To withhold food or drink from your physical body while seeking God through prayer and meditation is extremely beneficial in drawing oneself closer to seek His face and hear His will for your life.
Am I saying that you have to fast to draw close to God? No, I’m not. I am simply sharing the benefits of involving yourself in a spiritual fast.
When you deny yourself food, drink, or both for an extended period it is difficult. It takes discipline, physical and mental strength, perseverance, and dedication. When faced with hunger and physical want/need, those attributes are difficult to maintain. This is where drawing strength from The Lord comes in to play. When fasting you become truly dependent on God to help deal with your desires and weaknesses for food, something you really need to survive. How much more then can you learn from this to depend on Him in other areas of your life for strength and provision. In this way fasting helps build your spiritual walk with The Lord, strengthening your dependence on Him.
Times when you would be eating or preparing food is now spent in prayer while fasting. The sacrifice of giving up physical needs for spiritual growth draws one closer to God while seeking His voice and will.
This isn’t to say that you do it strictly to please God or in an attempt to gain favor in His sight. No! Nothing we do can buy us into Heaven or make us more of a Christian. If that’s your goal in a fast then you should rethink your motives. God loves us no matter what our actions. We can’t do or not do something looking for His approval. We already have it.
A fast is simply a time where you take in less of the world and more of Jesus. It’s a great way to remove distraction from seeking His face.
I felt like God led me to fast this morning. I haven’t actually fasted since 1999 or so. I’ve thought of it since then, and desired to, but unless it is something God wants you do to it isn’t really going to work out well. Today it just felt right.
I feel led to fast for five days. There are several kinds of fasts. Some people fast for a few hours a day like skipping lunch to spend the time in prayer. Some people fast longer, such as forty days. Some people only drink water, and some will drink juice. I plan to not eat food in any form for those five days. I will drink juice, but that is it. (I think the Diet Coke will be hard to let go of for sure.)
It’s difficult in a way to share this because I may fail. While I truly believe God can give me the strength to not eat for five days, I still might not be able to do it. And that will be okay. It won’t make me any less, but I’m rather excited to fast the full duration I feel He is speaking to me.
Only God knows if I will complete it, but regardless I decided to ask you to join in this time. I’m excited to see what He might reveal in the extra quiet time I’ll be spending in prayer and fasting. I’ll be sharing it with you as He leads.
If you feel like God has led you to join in a fast of some kind by this post then I encourage you to join me. Comment and let me know you’re joining the fasting journey, a practice in dying to self. Also please comment if you have any words of encouragement for me.
Really it’s all about God. The fast is about Him and drawing closer to Him.
Tune in tomorrow for day two.
Ruthie Young says
this is good. right thing!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you. 🙂