“To Fast or Not to Fast? That is the Question”
A Guide to Fasting for Beginners
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, RIGHT?
Before joining our Southland staff, I spent five years working in healthcare as a physical therapist (PT). At face value, one would assume PTs know a lot about the human body, but the truth is, we don’t know everything. Personally speaking, I enjoyed helping anyone who had an issue with their shoulder or their knee because treating these regions of the body came naturally to me. But if I’m being completely honest, I was NOT as good of a therapist when someone had a problem with their neck or their jaw. If you’re reading this as one of my former patients, consider this a public apology.
Needless to say, treating certain regions of the body did NOT come as naturally to me, so I had to train myself on how to become better with helping my patients. In case you’re wondering, the Dunning-Kruger effect can be quite the slice of humble pie for a mid-20s grad student transitioning into the real world. The result? Implementing different practices or disciplines to improve my grossly overestimated knowledge and my skill set. In the same sense, we have spiritual practices or disciplines that don’t come naturally to us. Here are a few that immediately come to mind:
Reading/studying the Bible during the week
Praying with others
Singing out loud on Sunday
Maintaining healthy work-rest rhythms
Prioritizing biblical community
Just to be clear, we don’t do these spiritual practices to earn God’s love or to prove how much more “spiritual” we are than others; we do these practices because of our love for God and to help us build a stronger relationship with Him. So on that note, let’s talk about a spiritual discipline that’s arguably a little more convoluted — fasting.
WHAT IS FASTING?
In its simplest form, fasting is “temporarily giving up a physical need for a spiritual need.” Whether we realize it or not, the truth is we need God. Although we might not always live this way, we need to be reminded daily of our dependence on God. Now, do we need to fast every day? I don't think that's necessary. However, occasionally fasting can put us in a position to humbly remind ourselves that our need for God is greater than our need for anything else.
Let’s try a thought exercise. What’s something you feel like you can’t go a day without? Maybe it’s related to food — candy, coffee, soda, or energy drinks. My vice? Little Debbie Honey Buns. I have zero shame admitting I could unapologetically eat an entire box in a day. Or maybe technology has a hold on you — your phone, your laptop, or a video game system. Before you close your browser, I want to be clear — I’m not demonizing technology. It’s an integral part of how we now communicate, conduct research, and complete work-related tasks. Like any other tool, technology can be a good thing when used appropriately. But as Scott Nickell has shared from stage, “When a good thing becomes an ultimate thing, it becomes a destructive thing.” I wonder how many of us would be willing to admit technology has become an ultimate thing. Or how about this: Have we become more dependent on technology than we are on God?
Shifting gears for just a moment, let’s also clarify what fasting is NOT. Fasting is NOT only for “super Christians.” We don’t have to reach a certain status as a follower of Jesus to begin fasting. Fasting is NOT punishing ourselves in order to get something from God. God wants a transformational relationship with us, not transactional. Fasting is NOT the latest diet trend. We don’t fast just so we can fit in a tux, a dress, or a bathing suit. Last but not least, fasting is NOT too difficult for us to understand. Like any other aspect of our faith, we need to go to God’s Word so we can faithfully wrestle with what He has to say. Fortunately, Jesus gives us clear instructions on fasting as His followers.
WHAT DOES JESUS HAVE TO SAY?
If you’ve studied the life of Jesus, you may remember that Matthew 5-7 contains arguably His most famous teaching called “The Sermon on the Mount.” In this teaching, Jesus describes the attributes of people who identify with being a part of God’s Kingdom, while also correcting the teachings and hypocritical behaviors of the religious elite (aka the Pharisees). Basically, these guys were adding their own rules to God’s Word while unfairly judging everyone else for not doing things their way. The Pharisees wanted everyone to see their highlight reel and applaud them for how “good” they were. Side note: Probably not the best reputation if you claim to be about God's Kingdom, but I digress.
In the beginning of Matthew 6, Jesus opens with a warning aimed directly toward the Pharisees, critiquing them for their self-centered attitude and self-righteous behavior. Here’s what He has to say about fasting: “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18 NLT).
Jesus highlights 3 specific areas we need to check when it comes to any spiritual practice, including fasting:
1. Attention: The first question we have to ask ourselves is “Do I think of this practice as a priority?” Our thoughts are directly tied to what we give our attention to. So what should we think about fasting? According to Jesus, He expects His followers to fast. Please note that He says, “When you fast…” not “if.”
2. Affection: The next question we have to ask ourselves is “Do I believe I’m pursuing this practice with the right intentions?” Our thoughts will eventually take root in our hearts, which will affect our beliefs. Jesus wants to make sure we’re fasting with the right attitude and with the right motives. He even provides a filter for us to answer this question — our audience. Are we fasting for an audience of One or an audience of many? Sounds pretty antithetical in our age of the “influencer.”
3. Action: The final question we have to ask ourselves is, “What am I supposed to do with this practice?” Our beliefs drive our behaviors and serve as a direct reflection of what’s going on in our hearts. Although some people take the “comb your hair and wash your face” piece literally, Jesus is actually encouraging us as His followers to carry ourselves in a way that does not make it obvious to others we’re fasting. Translation: Don’t be weird about it. As tempting as it is to become an armchair quarterback for the Pharisees, I must regretfully admit I’m just as guilty. Allow me to explain…
LAUGH AT MY PAIN
My first fasting experience has been, by far, my most memorable. Long-story short, I woke up one morning and decided on a whim I was going to fast. My thoughtful wife had gone above and beyond to prepare my favorite meal; however, I (pridefully) insisted that I would be fasting. When she asked if it could wait until after breakfast, I (pridefully) replied “No.” At this point in the story, someone might expect there to be some redemptive “it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish” moment. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t happen. Just a couple of hours later, I habitually grabbed a pack of fruit snacks once the first twinge of hunger kicked in.
So, what’s the lesson here? What we fast for is more important than what we fast from. We can also think of it this way: WHY we’re fasting is more important than HOW we’re fasting. This is why we often find Jesus addressing what’s going on at the heart level. He’s more concerned about our character than us keeping His commands with a hardened, misguided, and prideful heart like the Pharisees… and like me.
WHY DO WE FAST?
So WHY would we choose to fast? If you look through the Old Testament and the New Testament, there are a number of different reasons provided. Here are 4 basic reasons using the acronym FAST:
F is for focus. There are quite a few things that can distract us from hearing God’s voice. We may choose to fast to hear Him more clearly when making a decision that will honor Him, preparing for a hard conversation, or discerning how to handle a difficult situation. (See Acts 13)
A is for alignment. One of the realities of being a follower of Jesus is that we won’t always do things perfectly. There are times when we’ll be on the right track, but other times, we’ll have the tendency to get off course. We may choose to fast in order to help us repent and realign our lives with what God desires for us. (See Daniel 9)
S is for support. Fasting can also be a team effort with other followers of Jesus. We may choose to fast together in order to show our support when someone is navigating a challenging season or while mourning the loss of a family member or a friend. (See Esther 4)
T is for thanksgiving. We often take for granted how blessed we are to have an abundance of food. Unfortunately, there are people in our communities, in our country, and across the globe who don’t eat as often as we do. We may choose to fast in order to express our gratitude for God’s provision and to remind ourselves to be an extension of His love toward our neighbors. (See Matthew 25)
HOW CAN WE FAST?
So HOW can we practically fast as followers of Jesus today? This isn’t an all-inclusive list, but I believe there are two main areas we should consider fasting from — food and electronic devices. Here’s a fasting challenge to prayerfully consider:
1. Fast from food. Pastoral disclaimer: If you have any physical or mental health-related issues or struggle with body image, I would highly encourage you to speak with a medical provider or trusted follower of Jesus before fasting from food. For those of you who may not need to exercise as much caution, choose one meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) and, instead of eating, try drinking water while also utilizing this time to pray or read your Bible.
2. Fast from electronic devices. Choose one social media platform (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.) to not engage with for an entire day. Take the time you’d normally spend on these apps to enjoy face-to-face interaction with the people God has placed around you, or go for a walk to enjoy His creation.
BOTTOM LINE
I mentioned this earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again. What we fast for is more important than what we fast from. Let’s make fasting a priority as a part of our walk with Jesus; let’s fast with the right intentions; and let’s fast in a way that’s not obvious to others and honors God. Happy fasting, friends.
Matt Williams
Groups Pastor - Lexington