Hoping to spur some discussion and edification on fasting. Personally I have never done well with it. In the past, I have participated in personal fast and group fast for 24 hour Periods. More recently I have started out with the intent to fast and then given in to cravings within the time I set aside. So what type of guidance would you offer for those who struggle in this area? It seems to be a discipline, like family worship and psalm singing, that have fallen on hard times.
The Lord has burdened me as of late with the subject of fasting in thinking about the reasons for fasting and more troubling the reason I don’t have a pattern of fasting in my life. Practical and spiritual insights are welcome.
I do not know much about it myself, but rest assured the Puritans were not silent on this issue. A few books you may want to check out are from the following Puritans & Non-Conformists below. I cant give much personal advice because I have not yet reached the spiritual maturity to make fasting a regular part of my holy devotions.
Go slowly and start small. Start with intermittent fasting (16/8) a few days a week. Assuming your health is otherwise normal, start cutting carbs and sugar. Carbs just make you want to eat more and sugar is literally poison.
The first week of intermittent fasting is tough. Not going to lie. Then your body starts to feel good. Jay Richards' Fast, Feast, Pray literally changed my life. Fasting is easy now because of it.
I really encourage you to find some podcasts where Jay W. Richards talks about this. Yes, he is a Roman Catholic, so take it for what it's worth. That said, there is nothing uniquely "Catholicky" about fasting.
New York Times bestselling author Jay W. Richards joins the podcast to discuss the intersection between intermittent fasting, wellness, and spirituality.
In my forthcoming book Eat, Fast, Feast (available for pre-order now), I describe a six-week plan to help Christians make fasting a rewarding part of their lives. Most of us don’t really fast.
Fasting, Prayer & Ketosis Fasting, Prayer, & Ketosis How Modern Science and Ancient Christian Tradition Support a Fasting Lifestyle Help us put Food in its Proper Place.
www.themoralimagination.com
And you don't have to go full ketosis. I didn't. Most people don't need that kind of shock therapy.
I really encourage you to find some podcasts where Jay W. Richards talks about this. Yes, he is a Roman Catholic, so take it for what it's worth. That said, there is nothing uniquely "Catholicky" about fasting.
New York Times bestselling author Jay W. Richards joins the podcast to discuss the intersection between intermittent fasting, wellness, and spirituality.
In my forthcoming book Eat, Fast, Feast (available for pre-order now), I describe a six-week plan to help Christians make fasting a rewarding part of their lives. Most of us don’t really fast.
Fasting, Prayer & Ketosis Fasting, Prayer, & Ketosis How Modern Science and Ancient Christian Tradition Support a Fasting Lifestyle Help us put Food in its Proper Place.
www.themoralimagination.com
And you don't have to go full ketosis. I didn't. Most people don't need that kind of shock therapy.
Thanks Jacob. I did keto for 2 years and loved it. I dropped off the diet once I moved to Asia. I have been lifting and eating more intensely with controls on carbs and sugar already… but I think this is a factor in my appetite being bigger due to increased training and caloric intake. I had not thought of bringing in intermittent fasting as a way to help train for a spiritual fast. So thanks for that.
I was speaking tongue-in-cheek, but not really. I know people who define their Reformed theology by doing the opposite of whatever they think Rome does.
I was speaking tongue-in-cheek, but not really. I know people who define their Reformed theology by doing the opposite of whatever they think Rome does.
It seems we have a mixture going here that confounds diets with a spiritual discipline practiced by Jesus and commanded of us.
The spiritual discipline frees up the time given to preparation, eating and clean-up of meals. This enables us to more fully seek the face of God. As such, self-pressure to go x-number of hours shifts the focus away from delight in the means of grace.
I have to confess that elder care + childcare pushed this out of my life, aside from times my church has called for a fast to seek God's mercy on several occasions. This thread reminds me it's high time to pick up this discipline again.
In the past, I used a Saturday to prepare for the Lord's table, breaking the fast at that table during worship. Medical concerns contracted the time to daylight hours. It generally followed a pattern of confession and repentance, working through the negative and positive applications of the law, a time of reading, and a time of prayer usually kind of jumbled together. I'd pick up my latest Bible reading/study and end in prayer and praise. Getting outside alone in a natural setting greatly increased my attention and worship.
It seems we have a mixture going here that confounds diets with a spiritual discipline practiced by Jesus and commanded of us.
The spiritual discipline frees up the time given to preparation, eating and clean-up of meals. This enables us to more fully seek the face of God. As such, self-pressure to go x-number of hours shifts the focus away from delight in the means of grace.
I have to confess that elder care + childcare pushed this out of my life, aside from times my church has called for a fast to seek God's mercy on several occasions. This thread reminds me it's high time to pick up this discipline again.
In the past, I used a Saturday to prepare for the Lord's table, breaking the fast at that table during worship. Medical concerns contracted the time to daylight hours. It generally followed a pattern of confession and repentance, working through the negative and positive applications of the law, a time of reading, and a time of prayer usually kind of jumbled together. I'd pick up my latest Bible reading/study and end in prayer and praise. Getting outside alone in a natural setting greatly increased my attention and worship.
I get what you are saying. I mentioned the physical/intermittent aspect of it to help prepare the body for fasting. Most people, due to decades of diets of refined carbs and refined sugar, along with 4-7 small meals a day, feel overwhelmed in fasting. I just mentioned a way to work into it gradually (while getting healthier at the same time).
But if we are looking for spiritual angles: fasting, whether intermittent or otherwise, calls attention to gluttony in the classic sense (not just eating a lot of food, but the wanting more). Fasting also produces discipline (e.g., Paul, "I pommel my body"). Intermittent fasting lets you hear your bodies signals more acutely--and teaches you how to ignore them.
It seems we have a mixture going here that confounds diets with a spiritual discipline practiced by Jesus and commanded of us.
The spiritual discipline frees up the time given to preparation, eating and clean-up of meals. This enables us to more fully seek the face of God. As such, self-pressure to go x-number of hours shifts the focus away from delight in the means of grace.
I have to confess that elder care + childcare pushed this out of my life, aside from times my church has called for a fast to seek God's mercy on several occasions. This thread reminds me it's high time to pick up this discipline again.
In the past, I used a Saturday to prepare for the Lord's table, breaking the fast at that table during worship. Medical concerns contracted the time to daylight hours. It generally followed a pattern of confession and repentance, working through the negative and positive applications of the law, a time of reading, and a time of prayer usually kind of jumbled together. I'd pick up my latest Bible reading/study and end in prayer and praise. Getting outside alone in a natural setting greatly increased my attention and worship.
The confounding was not intentional. Apologies if my wording came across that way. In the OP I mentioned both practical and spiritual. There are practical ways we can learn to focus more on prayer or train our attention spans for listening/reading. There are practical ways we can become better at singing the psalms. There are practical ways we can set our families schedule up to be better equipped to honor the Lord’s Day. All within secondary means under God’s providence. The same might be said for fasting and learning practically to better discipline the body to quiet the noise of hunger during fasting as to be better equipped to engage spiritually.
We certainly need the spirit’s aid….but that doesn’t negate practical preparation. A dieting fast is different from a spiritual fast, but Jacob nor myself were putting an “=“ between the two. Of course the # of hours are not essential to a spiritual fast. But if we believe something has spiritual benefit, with proper balance, there is no harm in wanting to pray longer, sing more, read more, or fast more often/longer. So to be clear I am not advocating some spiritual growth chart with a spiritual benefits to hours ratio summary.
It seems we have a mixture going here that confounds diets with a spiritual discipline practiced by Jesus and commanded of us.
The spiritual discipline frees up the time given to preparation, eating and clean-up of meals. This enables us to more fully seek the face of God. As such, self-pressure to go x-number of hours shifts the focus away from delight in the means of grace.
I have to confess that elder care + childcare pushed this out of my life, aside from times my church has called for a fast to seek God's mercy on several occasions. This thread reminds me it's high time to pick up this discipline again.
In the past, I used a Saturday to prepare for the Lord's table, breaking the fast at that table during worship. Medical concerns contracted the time to daylight hours. It generally followed a pattern of confession and repentance, working through the negative and positive applications of the law, a time of reading, and a time of prayer usually kind of jumbled together. I'd pick up my latest Bible reading/study and end in prayer and praise. Getting outside alone in a natural setting greatly increased my attention and worship.
Thank you for saying it. I noticed this earlier but didnt respond. The act of fasting is not supposed to be easy; hence why there is a warning not to "appear" to be fasting by disfiguring our faces; moans, and grumbles. Resisting the temptation is the point; because a fast is only completed by grace, and prayer is the only way to find it.
In this day in age, where many people have diets and work out routines, and trying to get "gains;" the practice of fasting is counter-productive. But we have to choose. I find it very interesting the Puritans wrote so much on it. Besides the 9 works listed above, the term "fasting" is included in 2,373 out of 6,500 of their works. Or, about 1/3 of their works.
Lets face it. For most of present Christendom we have lost this discipline; and we all have a laundry list of excuses why we have refrained, as do I. But this may simply be some "next level" stuff that many of us have missed out on for no other reason, that it is not only sacrificial, but difficult as well. And this is without even considering the Isaiah 58 commission (if I am interpreting that correctly) that is what we fast from, we instead give to alleviate suffering in our specific contexts. Its not just missing a meal, but it is also giving a meal.
"But come we to their irreligious fast, which they doubt not to call a worship of God. Howbeit first, it is merely external, neither is it joined with any extraordinary exercise of prayer or repentance among them: and therefore is of no value in the sight of God." (George Downame - Of the Christian Exercise of Fasting)
Seeing that I need to study this myself; I have created a quick anthology of all of the works above cept for Boltons, which doesnt deal specifically with fasting. Below is a link to the ePub & PDF. It was quickly thrown together with little editing, but, it may be beneficial for those who dont mind reading EEBO-TCP texts, but dont want to do so sitting in front of a computer.
The confounding was not intentional. Apologies if my wording came across that way. In the OP I mentioned both practical and spiritual. There are practical ways we can learn to focus more on prayer or train our attention spans for listening/reading. There are practical ways we can become better at singing the psalms. There are practical ways we can set our families schedule up to be better equipped to honor the Lord’s Day. All within secondary means under God’s providence. The same might be said for fasting and learning practically to better discipline the body to quiet the noise of hunger during fasting as to be better equipped to engage spiritually.
We certainly need the spirit’s aid….but that doesn’t negate practical preparation. A dieting fast is different from a spiritual fast, but Jacob nor myself were putting an “=“ between the two. Of course the # of hours are not essential to a spiritual fast. But if we believe something has spiritual benefit, with proper balance, there is no harm in wanting to pray longer, sing more, read more, or fast more often/longer. So to be clear I am not advocating some spiritual growth chart with a spiritual benefits to hours ratio summary.
I get what you are saying. I mentioned the physical/intermittent aspect of it to help prepare the body for fasting. Most people, due to decades of diets of refined carbs and refined sugar, along with 4-7 small meals a day, feel overwhelmed in fasting. I just mentioned a way to work into it gradually (while getting healthier at the same time).
But if we are looking for spiritual angles: fasting, whether intermittent or otherwise, calls attention to gluttony in the classic sense (not just eating a lot of food, but the wanting more). Fasting also produces discipline (e.g., Paul, "I pommel my body"). Intermittent fasting lets you hear your bodies signals more acutely--and teaches you how to ignore them.
I'm not entirely sure I've heard of fasting connected to gluttony, though the latter (and any excess) is sin. Fasting is going in all humility before our father, seeking his face, praising and adoring him, trusting that after we've gone without something we genuinely need he will sustain and restore us.
I'm not entirely sure I've heard of fasting connected to gluttony, though the latter (and any excess) is sin. Fasting is going in all humility before our father, seeking his face, praising and adoring him, trusting that after we've gone without something we genuinely need he will sustain and restore us.
I'm not entirely sure I've heard of fasting connected to gluttony, though the latter (and any excess) is sin. Fasting is going in all humility before our father, seeking his face, praising and adoring him, trusting that after we've gone without something we genuinely need he will sustain and restore us.
That's the correct spiritual attitude. Historically, though, and also in the Bible, fasting meant going without (usually food, sometimes water) for a period of time. The going without part is what calls attention to particular passions in the soul.
I didn't say an excess of fasting was gluttony. That might have been unclear. Rather, fasting calls attention to gluttony.
Hoping to spur some discussion and edification on fasting. Personally I have never done well with it. In the past, I have participated in personal fast and group fast for 24 hour Periods. More recently I have started out with the intent to fast and then given in to cravings within the time I set aside. So what type of guidance would you offer for those who struggle in this area? It seems to be a discipline, like family worship and psalm singing, that have fallen on hard times.
The Lord has burdened me as of late with the subject of fasting in thinking about the reasons for fasting and more troubling the reason I don’t have a pattern of fasting in my life. Practical and spiritual insights are welcome.
I'll be 72 in November, or perhaps I have just exhaled my last breath.
But, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able." (2 Timothy 1:12)
Before this year, I kept all my fasting as private as possible. It just seemed stupid to tell anyone at all. Who wants to go through all that trouble and risk doing it for the praise of man? But I decided to share some of what I learned. So, here goes just a bit.
~~~~~~~
Over the years, I have fasted hundreds of days. And most of those fasts were for multiple days.
It seemed natural for a Christian to fast. When you hear Jesus speak of fasting with His friends, you get the idea that (fasting) comes with the turf.
I know a little about the physiology and mental challenges of private, secret fasting and prayer. I've made mistakes. One time, in zeal for my marriage, I thought the occasion warranted a fast. So... I'd been reading and meditating on Paul's three-day fast following the vision he saw on Damascus Road.
From my first weeks as a newbie believer to Feb. 9, 2020, I fulfilled a life-long desire for a 21-day water-only fast. I included two pages from my study record book. I seldom record my thoughts. The book is to keep track of my reading schedule. The first page records my reading from Jan. 14 to Feb. 8. Just the facts. BTW - I gave myself a letter grade for my deportment throughout the 21 days. The grade? C-
Actually, for all my experience with fasting, I know more about fasting than I have experienced.
That's enough of me. Here's a link to a thread I started on Feb 3, 2016. But, recognizing my weakness, I copied the following excerpt from Author Wallis's book on fasting.
~~~~~~~
God's Chosen Fast - Isa. 58:6
Below is an excerpt from God's Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis
Google Books (partial only): https://goo.gl/WR4nZU
"Arthur Wallis offers this balanced study on fasting and seeks to give to the subject the weight that Scripture gives it while also avoiding exaggeration and over-emphasis. This book includes a biblical index and an appendix dealing with the textual problems surrounding four references to fasting in the New Testament."
Some of you may think that the information by Wallis is extreme or unrealistic and, in at least one place, in error. I.e., "promised healing."
I do not agree. Certainly there are health reasons that prevent some from fasting. But for most of us, fasting could be an important addition to our spiritual lives.
GOD’S CHOSEN FAST
Isa. 58:6
Isaiah 58 is the classic of scripture on the subject of fasting. God reminds His people that the acceptable fast is the one which HE has chosen. Fasting, like prayer, must be God-initiated and God-ordained to be effective. Prevailing prayer begins with God; He places upon us a burden by the Spirit, and we respond to that burden. Prayer that originates with God always returns to God. So it is with fasting.
Fasting is a practice that may seem strange to most twentieth-century Christians, maybe even a little extreme or fanatical. Some fear it will have harmful results and oppose fasting almost instinctively. Having proven the great value and blessing of fasting over the years, this document is to provide earnest believers with a scriptural basis for fasting and some guidelines to aid on practical issues.
Fasting provides us benefits therapeutically as well as spiritually. Many, however, have turned from this divinely appointed means of grace.
There are two basic categories of fasting:
- Public (Proclaimed)
- Personal
The Public or Proclaimed fast is primarily called for in times of national or spiritual crisis and is entered into by an entire congregation. In scripture, God, without exception, always responded in deliverance. The Personal fast is, as David said, “I humbled my soul with fasting—Ps 69:10”; and then naturally moves to mourning repentance and contrition and consecration to God. Jesus, the best example of consecration to God, undertook a 40-day fast before going into public ministry. Though He received the Spirit in all his fullness at His baptism in the Jordan, the power was not operative until He returned from His wilderness testing. By accepting the fasting, He was reaffirming His determination to do the will of His Father. It was His final preparation and consecration for His heavenly mission. As He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, the works of God were manifested in Him.
WHY FAST?
The Spirit of God is stirring the Church. In New Testament times, fasting was a channel of power. As spirituality waned and worldliness flourished in the church, the power and gifts of the Spirit were withdrawn. With the loss of inner power, men clung to what was an outward accompaniment and placed more emphasis on the act of fasting, though bereft of the inward spirit that alone could give it value. Hence, we see Paul’s prediction fulfilled from 2 Tim. 3:5: “having the form of religion but denying the power.”
But Glory to God, a new thirst for the Spirit is awakening the church, a day of spiritual renewal. There is heart felt searching, burdens, and longings everywhere, and they ascend to heaven. The Spirit of God is stirring. God is determined to have a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, a bride fit for His beloved Son. It is my conviction that as we travail before God, we will rediscover the New Testament power that is released through the biblical practice of fasting unto God.
THE TWO MAIN CATEGORIES OF FASTING ARE PUBLIC AND PERSONAL (AS DESCRIBED IN REVERSE AND MAY HAVE DIFFERING NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MOVE MEN TO FAST).
KINDS OF FASTS
Fasting is defined as simply “not eating food.” It is true many things hinder our communion with God, and we do need to commune with God, and we do need to practice self-denial in general, but the fact still remains that “too fast” means primarily “not to eat food (solid or liquid).”
Three main kinds of fasts:
● The Normal Fast—Matt. 4:2
● The Partial Fast—Dan. 10:3
● The Absolute Fast—Acts 9:9
The typical fast: The first mention of fasting in the new covenant:” Jesus fasted.... and afterward he was hungry.” It meant abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not from water. We are told Jesus ate nothing, not that he did not drink. Satan also tempted Him to “eat,” not to drink. Therefore, we can conclude Jesus’ 40-day fast was a “normal fast.”
The Day of Atonement was the only regular fast under Mosaic Law (Lev. 23:27).
The Partial Fast is a restriction of diet rather than complete abstention. Dan. 10:2-3. At the end of Daniel’s fast, he was physically better on a diet of vegetables and water. Dan. 1:15. The partial fast allows a great many variations, which have been tried with blessing. This is the method of living exclusively on one type of food for the duration of the fast. It is valuable, especially when circumstances make undertaking a normal fast impossible or inconvenient. Indeed, it requires no less discipline. It can be used, however, as a stepping-stone to the NORMAL fast by those who have never fasted before. One great advantage is that even after being sustained for an extended period, normal eating can be resumed almost immediately, which is NOT the case with the other two kinds of fasting. The Absolute Fast is defined in Acts 9:9, “for three days (never more)... neither ate nor drank.” Moses and Elijah were the only ones who did more, but both were supernatural (i.e., an exceptional measure for an exceptional situation).
Esther 4:16 - Intervention for the Jews (3 days).
PURPOSES OF FASTING
· Personal Sanctity (humbling yourself with fasting.) Ps 69:10: Matt. 5:4
· Facilitates Intercession (to be heard on high) Isa. 58:4; Ezra 8:23
· Change God’s mind - Jonah 3:5-10.
· To free the Captives - Isa. 58:6
· For Revelation - Dan. 9:2,3; 21,22
· To Buffet the Body - Duet 32:15-16— But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked: you waxed fat, you grew thick, you became sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation. Paul said, “Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.” I Cor. 9:25-27 - In the mind of Paul, there was not merely the danger of temptation if the body was not buffeted, but of loss of power in the great contest of life, just as an athlete who failed to train seriously would be hindered on the day of the race and lose the prize. Therefore, take the steps necessary to subdue the appetites and desires of the body that the spiritual man might be kept in the ascendancy (control).
Fasting may also be voluntary or involuntary (no desire for food because of anxiety, sorrow, mental distress, or simply no food available - Dan. 6:18, Matt. 15:32)
FOOD AND THE BODY
We know that food is, of course, necessary for the sustaining of life, but AIR, WATER, AND SLEEP are much more urgently needed. The body cannot live more than a few minutes without air or a few days without water and sleep. Still, in normal circumstances, a normally healthy and well-nourished body can exist quite satisfactorily for several weeks without food.
During a prolonged fast, the body is living on surplus fat and, at the same time, acting like an internal incinerator, burning up the waste and decaying tissues of the body. Only when this refining process is complete (complete fast) does it commence to consume its sound living cells, which is when starvation begins.
How do we know when this happens? The body passes through 3 phases.
The FIRST PHASE is marked by a craving for food and may last a couple days or more. Once through it there may continue to be a pleasurable sensation at the thought of food, however with no craving or strong temptation
The SECOND PHASE is marked by a feeling of weakness and faintness, which may last for 2 or 3 days. Here is where it seems to require an effort of the will for every movement. This is the most difficult part of the fast and you may find it necessary to rest a good deal. The gradual disappearance of this sense of weakness is a signal the body has eliminated its grosser wastes and poisons.
The THIRD PHASE and easiest, is one of growing strength with little or no concern about food and only occasional and de- creasing spasms of weakness. Here you often feel you could continue your fast indefinitely with very little effort. The termination of this phase is marked by hunger pangs (Matt. 4:2), showing that the process of elimination has been completed, and now the body is beginning to draw on the sound living tissue. This is the warning bell that the fast is complete and the body is beginning to starve. At this point, the fast would, of course, be broken off.
This reveals the true difference between an “appetite for food” verses “hunger for food.” Isa. 58:8 also says at this point, “Your healing shall spring up speedily.” Receive it!
Physical Benefits: brightness of eye, pure breath, clear skin, new digestive system, and a sense of physical well-being.
Sense Faculties: sharpened sense of taste and smell, mental powers become remarkably clear and active.
Breaking Fast —self-discipline is required to curb & control appetites until the body is ready for full feeding. The quantity of intake must be small & well-masticated. - The End
Fasting is easier than dieting, and it works. Dieting generally does not work in the long run. Dieting (unless specifically Keto or Atkins) aims for caloric deficits, which is good but does not address the problem. If you are still burning sugar instead of fat, then you won't get anywhere. Once your body gets used to burning fat for fuel instead of corn syrup and twinkies, then fasting is easy.
And by fasting I mean intermittent fasting. It is uncomfortable for a while, but it is far, far easier than generic dieting. Dieting makes you "hangry." Fasting does not. Indeed, you can sometimes get a "runner's high" during an intermittent fast. And if you end a fast by a legit feast (eating real foods, not canola oil), then it is a quite pleasant experience.
That is interesting. So far in the Fasting books I have read Becons and du Moulins Treatises, and they strongly caution against ending a fast with a feast liking it to making the fast a vessel for gluttony. They also advise against pre-fasts feasts which includes "fanciful foods and dainties," in which a person misses the point of the fast by trying to preserve themselves from hunger. This is one of the reasons I like the Puritan treatises, because they are not afraid to call a spade a spade. They call out people who live to feed themselves "delicacies" (which to them would include many foods we now call common.) And they are not afraid to call out gluttony or belly-cheer as a grievous sin; which I need to hear because I struggle with overeating (which can be isolated from being overweight.) They seem to suggest that one of the main objectives of fasts, is to combat the flesh; learning temperance by overcoming its desires. If there seems to be a reward at the end of the tunnel; which includes overindulgence, this nullifies the point. It seems many of the Puritans took a "manna" perspective on eating; that our prayer for the provision of our daily bread is not a request to be fed with what you find on Kings tables. But, and I quote, "that we do not live to eat, but eat to live," so that we should live a life learning to combat the flesh, and bring it into subjection; but also do so in such a way that we dont "give it room to fulfill its lusts," while at the same time in our abstinence not hindering ourselves from fruitful service. I think this type of thought goes counter-culture to what passes as contemporary nutrition. That is many people work-out so they can continually shove loads of food down their mouths calling it necessary (for show muscle) while at the same time eating the same or as more as obese people that are only distinct by the lack of working out and not by the amount consumed. And as you stated, some fast for 12 hours so they can "feast" when it is over.
It would be interesting to see a comprehensive study done on the Puritan view of consumption; because it seems they tend to favor moderation or an "as-needed" attitude to food. At least in these books, the authors go as far as to liken a full-belly to irreverence when coming to hear the Word preached, or to pick up the scriptures personally; and recommends not only never being "full" for these occasions, but refraining from seeking to be "full" in any occasion. This has to do with the authors correlation of fullness with sluggishness, and that in most cases it promotes sleep instead of awareness. I still have a few more of these books to read, but it is kind of revolutionizing the way I look at food. In America, we look at food as a "pleasure" to be experienced; even on a daily basis. While it seems the Puritans, Reformers, and Early Church looked at food as a necessary tool to do the work of God, but not one to be daily enjoyed or overindulged in. While there were holidays and appointed feast days where "delicacies" may be served, they were few and far between. But today it seems like we expect every meal to be delicious; and look at meal times as an "event" rather than a simple means to an end.
A couple of practical thoughts - If you're not used to fasting then choose your time of fasting when you have no major commitments. That's because you will likely feel fatigued and hazy. Also, it's very easy to get cold when you're in a caloric deficit so make sure you keep yourself warm.
And a spiritual aside, don't go into it presuming some powerful spiritual epiphany or appearing of God. Fasting isn't something to unlock some hidden power or special reward of God. But fasting does aid the posture of humility, dependence and intercession when done properly.
And a spiritual aside, don't go into it presuming some powerful spiritual epiphany or appearing of God. Fasting isn't something to unlock some hidden power or special reward of God. But fasting does aid the posture of humility, dependence and intercession when done properly.
Yes and no. Your stomach shrinks during a fast, so eating a lot of food can be quite painful. Feasting, in the classical sense as used here, doesn't have to mean "gorging." It can mean eating a good, but moderate amount of real food. When I first started fasting, I used to end a fast at the Chinese buffet. Bad idea.
He will, but it usually won't be a mystical epiphany. Fasting creates an inner disposition for relying on good and it gives strength to resist eating a box of Little Debbie cakes. It helps create a habit for virtue, in other words.
He will, but it usually won't be a mystical epiphany. Fasting creates an inner disposition for relying on good and it gives strength to resist eating a box of Little Debbie cakes. It helps create a habit for virtue, in other words.
