Have you ever tried to do a spiritual fast and failed miserably? I have.
Have you ever tried to do a fast for the purpose of weight loss? I have.
Have you ever tried to do a fast because someone told you it had health benefits? I have.
I’ve tried to fast on numerous occasions for one or all of these reasons..sometimes I fail and sometimes I am successful. What I learned is that all three of these reasons kind of work together and you end up benefitting in all three ways.
The problem is, a lot of us call ourselves Christian but we don’t always dive deep into the details of how to make that a richer experience in our lives. I am always shocked when people I respect tell me they have never read the bible cover to cover, or they admit that they don’t know the Lord’s Prayer or what Psalm 23 really means. It surprises me when they have never heard the word “apocrypha” or “apologetics” or any of a dozen other common Christian terms. Fasting kind of falls into that category..people think of it as a subset to Christian life or general health but not important enough to actually do.
Fasting is a biblical way to truly humble yourself in the sight of God. King David said, “I humbled myself with fasting” (Psalm 35:13, New King James Version; see Ezra 8:21). Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance and a transformed life…but interestingly, it will also cleanse the body on a deep level, clearing toxins and parasites, helping to heal sickness and a host of other draining issues. Its pretty amazing when you ready about fasting for spiritual reasons and then discover just how intricate a process your mind and body goes through via this process.
Matthew 6:16-18 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others 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.
Okay, Ive never put oil on my head for the purpose of fasting. I havent even looked up the benefits or purpose of that yet..but I’d be willing to bet there is a hidden gem of wisdom in that step.
Fasting has been part of the gospel of Jesus Christ since Old Testament times (see, for example, Daniel 9:3; Joel 2:12). Fasting strengthens people spiritually and increases the effectiveness of their prayers (see Isaiah 58:6–11).
Research suggests that fasting is beneficial for reducing inflammation and improving conditions associated with inflammation, such as: Alzheimer’s disease. Arthritis and others. As a result, you improve your body leaving your whole being (conscious and subconscious) better equipped to connect to God on a spiritual level. Healthy body, healthy mind, healthy spirit all working together to be closer to God. Think of it this way, if your mind isnt focused on sickness in your body or inflammation or nerves then it has more capacity to focus on spiritual matters. Fasting is a way for the body, mind and soul to hit the reset all together in blissful unison.
I would suggest that for health reasons, stay away from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, or cola. Caffeine is a stimulant, it has a more powerful effect on your nervous system when you abstain from food. This works both against the physical and spiritual aspects of the fast. The goal is for the fasting period to be cleansing to body, mind and soul so be contentious about being clean in every aspect of your time in prayer and fasting.
During fasting periods, cells undergo a process called “autophagy”, which involves removing and recycling damaged cellular components. This process is essential for maintaining proper cellular function and can help protect the brain from age-related degeneration and neurodegenerative diseases. I always wonder to what level are we, as humans, capable of to renew our bodies by sheer will and the effect of pure eating? (Not just the body and mind..but SOUL too?)
Because our bodies conserve energy during fasting, our basal metabolic rate (the amount of energy our bodies burn while resting) becomes more efficient, thereby lowering our heart rate and blood pressure. Now, think about what happens in general when you pray. Dont we all slow down, get focused and draw close to God? I mean, sure, sometimes we come to God in anguish and crying..but as we begin to pray what happens? We slow down, we focus, we relax. We learn to trust God. Fasting is a way of aiding and contributing to a position of prayer and connection to God by drawing our focus to where it needs to be.
The first couple of days of the fast or for about 12–48 hours from the last meal. This stage is when the body transitions into fasting mode — for many of us this is the most challenging part of the process. This is the first half of your (3-day?) fast as the preparation phase and the second half as the beneficial phase. I mean, hopefully, it will all be beneficial but make no mistake, there will be hunger and it will be a challenge..but what happens when we feel victorious? It changes the chemicals in our brain and increases serotonin which is responsible for happiness. I don’t know all the ways that plays a role in our physical preparedness for meeting with God but I can’t help but believe it ALL PLAYS A ROLE.
Fasting also plays a positive role (physiologically) in mental health, anxiety and depression.
Since intermittent fasting for weight loss has become more popular these days there is a lot more research being highlighted on the benefits of fasting. Intermittent fasting may help heal nerve damage by changing the gut microbiome. Intermittent fasting alters the gut bacteria activity of mice and increases their ability to recover from nerve damage. Think of fasting as a whole body transformation in whuch your spirit is preparing to be in the presence of our God.
Fasting is the spiritual discipline of abstaining from food and/or drink for a period of time in order to draw near to God or seek God’s movement in some manner. It’s an act of worship that’s often accompanied by prayer and repentance.
For me, the goal of a fast is to be transformed, so when the fast is over, I try to target a plan of not just diving headfirst into a pile of twinkies. (Well, to be fair, as I get older, I try not to do that anyway-but fasting for three days will kind of make you think you deserve a treat afterwards) Being transformed and closer to God means allowing the transforming power of prayer to change us beyond the fasting period.
I think a lot of times people fast over a specific hardship or challenge in their life, whether it is about a financial issue, sickness of a loved one or some kind of loss, but fasting, when done with a pure heart with sincere intentions is much more than humbling ourselves before God in prayer and need. Sure, we are hoping that our grand effort will somehow make God have even more mercy on us but let’s not mistake the goodness and grace that God ALREADY has for us with some kind of bartering chip. God does not play games. God is not just hanging out waiting for us to pitch him an offer. We cannot tell God we will spend 3 days in prayer if he will grant our wishes.
What we can do is perpetually be trying to improve our connection to God in body, mind and soul and pray that he will have mercy on us as sinners.
God is not a genie in a bottle, God is the King of the world, Saviour, Redeemer, Creator, Healer. Maybe during your own fast, you can pray over the names of God reflecting on his mercy and grace in your life, past, present and future…or maybe you simply focus on clearing your mind and concentrating on a more peaceful life. There is no set agenda except the one you set for yourself. What is your goal?
Thank you Lord for making me feel close to you even when I stray from the things that I know you have designed for me and my closeness to you. Amen.