This year, I've studied a Corporate Spiritual Discipline (Worship) and an Outward Spiritual Discipline (Simplicity), so now it's time for focus on an Inward Spiritual Discipline (Fasting). One might argue that it's a cop-out to choose to study the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting during Lent, or one could argue that it is effective to learn about Fasting during a time when one typically fasts. I opted to be in the latter camp, so Fasting was chosen for the month of March.
In The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster, a biblical history & perspective of fasting is explained:
One could fast from all food (solid & liquid), but not water.
One could follow a partial fast which restricts part, but not all of the diet.
One could do a absolute fast from all foods and water, to seek God in a catastrophic situation, but this fast must be limited to THREE days. (or you will die due to dehydration)
Fasting often is a decision between a person and God, but there is a history of corporate/public fasts, both for religious reason or emergency situations.
Fasting is tied closely with prayer, but we haven't gotten to that discipline yet. Give it another 1-9 months for us to reach that topic.
In some church traditions, it is expected for pastors and/or church members to fast twice a week.
Regular fasting (i.e. fasting that occurs each week) can be a powerful experience, but it is wise to remember that our personal convictions are not Biblical commands. In other words, just because the Spirit convicts you to fast, doesn't mean that another person is more or less spiritual than you because they do or do not fast as well.
Foster describes what he calls "watchings" as something related to fasting, without being identical to the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting. Watching involves abstaining from sleep so that one can spend that time in prayer or other types of spiritual duties. Foster warns of the danger of taking a small part of Scripture and elevating it to a critical duty. Just because a few people in the Bible "watched and prayed" does not mean that every Christian needs to do this to "prove" their salvation.
As a person involved in an English as a Second Language (ESL) program, semantics (the study of the meaning of words & sentences) is important. Foster thought that the semantics of Jesus' teaching on fasting was crucial. Jesus said "when you fast" when He was teaching on this topic. "When you fast" and "If you fast" and "You must fast" all have different meanings even though only one word changes. But He was clear than when we fast, it should be in secret, so belay that social media post!
Fasting must be focused and centered on God. There are benefits to fasting, both spiritual and psychical, but if we seek the benefits more than we seek God, we are missing the point.
As we focus on God when we fast, we begin to see and learn what things have control over us. We receive the reminder through fasting that we are dependent on God for everything. Foster goes on to say that to fast is to feast on the Word of God. Fasting can help bring our life into balance as we are better able to seek first God's Kingdom and put things in their proper place.
This chapter ends with instructions on how to begin to practice the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting.
Foster recommends that we start with a partial fast for 24 hours (lunchtime to lunchtime), so that only dinner & breakfast will be influenced by the partial fast.
Then we can progress to a normal fast (still drinking water in reasonable quantities) for 24 hours.
Then we can progress to a 36 hour fast, impacting 3 meals. If God convicts you to try a longer fast, Foster recommends keeping it at 3-7 days, but no longer than 21-40 days at maximum. Longer fasts should be gently prepared for (no stuffing before hand) and gently broken (slowly add foods back in).
Now that we know more about fasting, may we make the time to intentionally seek God through prayer & fasting.
