The Third Inward Discipline – Fasting
John Wesley wrote in his journal – “Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all Scripture and reason; and others have utterly disregarded it.”
Fasting is a discipline of abstaining in a significant way from food and drink, often only drinking water. Do you practice fasting fanatically, as Wesley observed, or not at all? This spiritual discipline is mentioned over 100 times in the Bible. Moses did it, David did it, Esther did it, Jesus did it. So….
Why isn’t fasting a more regular part of our spiritual development?
Fasting is perhaps the one discipline that has fallen most out of favor with Christians today. Perhaps we might say it gained a bad reputation from the Middle Ages when so many religious folk took it to extremes and the “rules” took away much of its spiritual power. Others might say it’s because we’ve convinced ourselves that unless we eat three meals a day – with snacks – we’ll starve. It may be either of these things, but I think the real reason is what Dallas Willard observes – we don’t fast because fasting “teaches us a lot about ourselves very quickly.”
I love to eat. I eat when I’m happy, when I’m sad, when I’m bored, when I’m busy. Not eating is almost unthinkable. And this has nothing to do with my health. Fasting is hard because it reminds me that I let my emotions rule my stomach and my stomach rule me - not God. I’ve tried fasting a few times, read some books to get the ‘rules’ straight. Once I even made it for three days (with fruit juice) – but it’s SOOOOOO HARD. This self-control thing is not one of the fruits of the Spirit that you can easily see in me! That is why I really do need to build the discipline of fasting into my life.
So, what are the rules? What’s the point?
That said, however, the first “rule” of fasting is that it can’t be about ME. Richard Foster reminds us, “Fasting must forever be centered on God. It must be God-initiated and God ordained….Every other purpose must be subservient to God.” Fasting is a gift of my trust to God, and God’s gift of sustenance to me. It, like all spiritual disciplines, is a loving act toward God. Jesus wasn’t just talking figuratively when he told his disciples: "I have food to eat that you do not know about." "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.” (John 4:32, 34) Fasting, you see, is really feasting in the presence of God.
But there are some secondary purposes that Foster describes – fasting does reveal the things that control us, like my emotions. Fasting also helps us keep balance in life, and it helps us identify what is truly essential. By helping us identify what controls us and conversely what is truly important, fasting is a discipline that brings us freedom.
If you would like to learn how to fast, start slow. It’s like taking baby steps. If you are not sure you should fast for health reasons, check with your doctor. When you are ready to fast, start out with a partial fast for 24 hours, say from lunch to lunch (that is, you skip two meals). Drink fresh fruit juices and water. Try this once a week for several weeks. After that try a normal fast of 24 hours drinking only water. Then move on to a fast of three consecutive meals. Then longer periods. Start slow, learn the discipline.
In all your fasting, outwardly maintain your regular routine, but inwardly focus on the love God has for you and the work God is doing in you. Don’t be like the Pharisees and moan about your struggle. Remember, you might be fasting from food, but you are feasting on God. How could you possibly be sad?
Next…..Study
Drawn primarily from Richard J. Foster’s Celebration of Discipline: the Path to Spiritual Growth as the outline for these devotions: The Inward Disciplines of Meditation, Prayer, Fasting and Study; The Outward Disciplines of Simplicity, Solitude, Submission and Service; and The Corporate Disciplines of Confession, Worship, Guidance and Celebration.