Fasting may feel like an intimidating activity, but it is a spiritual discipline that is open to anyone. Not everyone will fast, but everyone can.
(For those who have struggled with an eating disorder or an unhealthy relationship with food fasting may present additional difficulty, but there are resources to help if you would still like to try, including Practicing the Way, and Fasting by Scot McKnight.)
The heart of fasting as a follower of Jesus is to give up something good to seek something greater, God and God’s Kingdom. Though it is certainly a good idea, when we give up something that is already damaging or sinful, that is not exactly fasting. That is repentance.
The biblical record of fasting primarily involves willingly giving up food for a period of time as a response to a grievous sacred moment in life. This could be anything from a death, sin, fear, threat, need, sickness, period of preparation, or time of seasonal renewal such as Lent. We respond to these moments with fasting.
(This language of a "grievous sacred moment in life" is from Scot McKnight’s book, Fasting. The language can stretch to fit many reasons for fasting, but is a reminder that fasting is part of disciplines now because the world is broken and we must contend with challenges to God's Kingdom and revealed way.)
Fasting is almost always accompanied by prayer and very often with extra time in the Word of God as that becomes our meal instead of our normal food. Our hope is for God to show up powerfully in the midst of our moments and our life.
There are also variations on fasting from what we typically see it in the Bible which would involve a partial fast (abstaining from certain foods i.e. A Daniel Fast, or fasting from sugar, or meat etc.), or abstaining from something you normally enjoy but decide to give up for a period of time like television, social media (almost no one in the Old Testament gave this up), purchasing things for yourself coffee, alcohol, etc.
We do not fast as an attempt to force God to do want we want. We fast to pray with our body as well as our mind and heart. We fast to draw near to God who will draw near to us. We fast to confess our need, and to express our hunger for God to be present in our life and world. We can fast to break certain unhealthy attachments or to seek spiritual deliverance or breakthrough. Let us fast and seek God during this season of Lent.
Translated ‘sacred reading’, this ancient practice offers a way to read the Scriptures slowly and prayerfully.
Spend daily time with Jesus through the Gospels. There are many ways that you might select a Gospel reading for the day. The main thing is simply to find a passage that is a manageable length for the time you have set aside.
Use Israel’s prayer book as a starting place for honest conversation with God.
Some people find it easier to engage with God while out in creation or while moving their bodies.
Experiment with employing various postures as you spend time with God in prayer.
This ancient practice provides for a prayerful reflection on the day typically undertaken shortly before going to bed.
This keystone practice involves setting aside one day a week to rest, to cease from your work, and simply enjoy God, our relationships, and creation.
Prayer is our opportunity to interact with the Creator God and participate in his work of bringing redemption to earth.
We can practice compassion by practicing to see others. Allow their pain and need to move us. Take action.
We are continuing a response in obedience as a church to intentionally turn outward from ourselves to our neighbors in love.
Fasting may feel like an intimidating activity, but it is a spiritual discipline that is open to anyone. Not everyone will fast, but everyone can.
Make a plan for how each week or each day you can serve or show love to your neighbors, especially the poor among us.
Every day during Epiphany, we can join God in the renewal of the world through our prayers of intercession.
Each season we share an “inhale” practice to grow to be more like Christ as well as an “exhale” practice to put the love of Christ into action in the outflow of our lives.
These two practices make up a powerful formative duo that have been relied upon by followers of Jesus across the ages.
In our time and context it may feel challenging or embarrassing to speak openly about faith in Christ, but there are some powerful and important reasons to overcome those difficulties.