The heart of fasting

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men 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.” (Matthew 6:16-18)

Next Wednesday, March 2nd, is the beginning of Lent, the season of the church calendar that culminates in Easter. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the journey to the cross, willing to sacrifice everything in order to save us, we are called to follow His example in our own single-minded obedience to God. One powerful discipline that God gives us to seek Him in this fashion is fasting. As a church, we will be setting aside 21 days, from March 6th-27th, to fast and seek God for the revival of the church and the salvation of the lost.

If you have never fasted before, it is important to understand the heart of Biblical fasting. Fasting is not just about going without food, or TV, or social media for a period of time. Fasting is about identifying those things that we turn to for satisfaction, for comfort, or for joy, and choosing to look to God for those things instead. For example, we eat food for a few different reasons: to give us strength, to calm our anxieties, to bring us joy. When we fast, we consciously decide to respond to our hunger or weakness or anxiety or sadness by turning to God instead of food. By doing so, we follow in Jesus’ footsteps, who said in John 4:32 & 34, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about… my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” When we fast, we are declaring that nothing can satisfy us like God.

I have lived this Christian life long enough to know that while we are saved by grace, the undeserved gift of God, when it comes to our experience of God, we often get out of it what we put into it. If by our actions we show God that we only want a little of Him, then that is what we will get. But when we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). When we set aside things that have captivated our attention to fix our eyes on Him, we will see more of Him. And when we fast, God moves.

Lent is a week away. You can continue living this next season business as usual. But why not ask God how He would have you seek Him during the 21 days beginning on March 6th? What have you been turning to for your satisfaction, comfort, or joy? I challenge you to see what happens when you decide to fast and turn to God instead.