Lent is traditionally a time of prayer and fasting for many in the Christian tradition, especially those who follow any sort of liturgical calendar.
What is fasting?
Fasting normally refers to the practice of not eating, or at least of not eating some foods for a period of time. Fasting can refer to eating nothing at all, or not eating meat, dairy, and eggs. Protestants have more recently eaten according to the “Daniel Plan” which is a diet of sorts taken from the book of Daniel. This can be fasting if done for spiritual growth purposes. Other times people will extend the term “fasting” to include non-food items, such as fasting from social media or television. This sort of “fasting” can be an opportunity to turn from something and towards God.
When I fast, I have usually fasted from food. If I am fasting for a day, as I often do during the weeks of Advent, then I only drink water during fasting days. If I am fasting for an extended period of time, as I often do during Lent, than I drink water, juice, and eventually milk as my body requires. During this time of fasting, I also replace my eating with a time of prayer. I usually pray from the prayer book, “The Divine Hours” by Phyllis Tickle, which contains scripture, hymns, and traditional prayers of the church. Finally, when I am fasting for the forty days of Lent, it should be mentioned that Lent is forty days plus six Sundays, and for those Sundays it is not a time to fast. Since I work on Sundays, I have taken my day off of the fast on my Sabbath day, which is Monday.
My prayer life improves dramatically during my periods of extended fasting. It is a cumulative effect resulting from several intentional times of prayer throughout the day, as well as an increased awareness on my dependence on God in the moment. During periods of fasting, I have noticed that God reveals to me areas of my life where I am less faithful or where I depend upon him less. This Lent there has been a bit of stripping away of things and it has been a challenging time of growth for me. The question hangs heavy, “Do I trust in the Lord alone for my salvation?” The removal of food from my day pushes this issue in a very practical way. I am an emotional eater and I cannot rely upon a meal to help me through something. I have to rely upon prayer. When I do this over an extended period of time, it shapes me. I am being transformed by the Holy Spirit through a time of spiritual discipline. That is why I fast.
I also fast because it sets Lent apart from Easter season. During Easter I feast and try to live in the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. It is strange to be able to eat regularly again once Easter begins. My time of fasting prepares me to have a heart that truly is thankful for each meal I eat afterward. Fasting prepares me to better celebrate. That is why I fast.
I fast because my belly is not my god. I know that may sound funny, but I have found that saying, ‘no’ to some physical desires is an important part of living out the fact that my physical desires are not in control of me. My belly is not my god. Instead, during meal time, when I am hungry, I turn in prayer to my creator God. Fasting helps me worship the one true God and not an idol. That is why I fast.
If you have never fasted, I encourage you to try it, perhaps even during Holy Week. This is not something we do in order to gain God’s approval or love. God’s love for us was demonstrated on the cross of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness that is offered to you and I as a result. Fasting is not about getting God’s attention. It is about focusing our attention on God. I hope you have an opportunity to give fasting a try and that you find it as challenging and helpful to spiritual growth as I have.