I have been thinking about fasting a lot this week.
It's been brewing in my heart for awhile now, but I didn't really know why.
I met with my friend E.H. for coffee on Monday. She was telling me about a book she's been reading about the importance of practicing the disciplines of our faith. She said that the book was talking about how fasting, as it was written in the Bible, was emphasized in the same way that prayer was. Neither of us had ever thought about it like that before. If fasting is supposed to be as important as prayer is in our lives, why aren't we doing it more?
I have never fasted for a personal reason. Any time I've ever fasted was either for the 30 Hour Famine I used to participate in with my youth group, for any important meeting I had at my old church, or for something big happening at church that our pastor asked us to fast for. While none of those reasons are wrong by any means, I started feeling this week like I haven't been fasting in all the ways I could be.
Dictionary.com defines fasting as:
an abstinence from food, or a limiting of one's food, especially when voluntary and as a religious observance; fasting.
Also, this website gives a listing of all the occurrences (and possible occurrences) of fasting in the Bible. a day or period of fasting.
Jesus talks about fasting in Matthew 6:
When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
(Matthew 6:16-18, NIV)
I also found this quote on fasting on this website:
Fasting was an expected discipline in both the Old and New Testament eras. For example, Moses fasted at least two recorded forty-day periods. Jesus fasted 40 days and reminded His followers to fast, "when you fast," not if you fast.
Jesus talks about fasting in Matthew 6:
When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
(Matthew 6:16-18, NIV)
I also found this quote on fasting on this website:
Fasting was an expected discipline in both the Old and New Testament eras. For example, Moses fasted at least two recorded forty-day periods. Jesus fasted 40 days and reminded His followers to fast, "when you fast," not if you fast.
Anyway, all this to say that fasting has been on my heart a lot lately. I've been realizing that there are many big decisions my husband and I make in life without fasting and really seeking God out in every way we can. It's something I want to change and will be changing for sure.
What are your thoughts on fasting?
3 comments:
O this is sn awesome post! Ive only fasted once and should prob do it a lot more! This was a really good reminder chicadee!!! Thanks friend!
I've been either prego or nursing for so much of the last 8 years I haven't really developed this discipline in my life but I think it's a good one for sure :) great, thought-provoking post. thanks for sharing!
<3
wow this is so neat! i should really try this more often. love it. i like how you said, "I've been realizing that there are many big decisions my husband and I make in life without fasting and really seeking God out in every way we can."
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