Fasting is a common spiritual discipline throughout the Old Testament, and it’s expected of us in the New Testament. Strangely, it’s one of the least mentioned disciplines in American churches today. One reason, perhaps, is that we aren’t sure when we should be fasting. We may have rhythms for other spiritual disciplines, but too often, fasting is a wallflower. While the New Testament doesn’t give specific direction on “when to fast”, I found that jumping in taught me a lot, even though I had little idea of what I was doing.
Jesus tells us that, like the other spiritual disciplines, fasting helps us get closer to Him. When we miss Jesus, when He seems absent; that’s when to fast:
Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. Matthew 9:14-15
Still, there’s a lot of room for discretion here. This passage tells us we need to fast, but not exactly when. Missing Jesus can happen on a daily, if not hourly basis. Walking in step with Him requires constant dependance. Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing, but we can’t fast all the time.
Jesus doesn’t directly tell his disciples when to fast, but his forty day fast in the desert gives us clues. He had just been baptized and was immediately tested:
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Matthew 4:1-2
Led by the Holy Spirit for a spiritual purpose, Jesus fasted for a set period of time.
Bringing this into practice, last year was the first time I fasted for Lent. Trying it, in spite of not having much background or understanding, taught me so much more than I anticipated. Having a set time was crucial to getting started. If you’re like me, you might hesitate. Fasting at Lent may seem formulaic and not Spirit led. If this rings true, I encourage you to suspend disbelief.
In my experience, having more choices and discretion doesn’t equate to being more Spirit led. Fasting is a process that takes effort. The Church calendar sets aside Lent for fasting. Having that choice made for me, quiets some noise in my mind. Because the “when” was set, my mind was more open to the Holy Spirit’s direction on why and how I could fast. Practicing fasting during Lent became very meaningful — the complete opposite of being formulaic and irrational.
“Anticipation” is not normally associated with Lent or with mourning, but this is my mindset as we get closer to this season. Our world is far from Shalom in so many ways, as chaos builds. The sense of urgency and disruption has been so overwhelming that I’ve had to push these thoughts to the side and haven’t taken time to respond in sadness. I need to take time to mourn and then wait to see how God can transform me and use me more fully in building His kingdom. I know God will be teaching more than I can imagine during this upcoming Lenten season.
Application. Pray and reflect: Is there a comfort you could give up during Lent? It could be food, or anything else you routinely go to for comfort. Take a break from that comfort and offer your time to Jesus.
by Sherry Sommer
