Fasting: Take it Slow

When we approach the Discipline of Fasting, it is important not to overdo it. As I mentioned yesterday, there are some groups of people (diabetics, pregnant women, nursing mothers, heart patients, etc.) who should never fast ... or only under a doctor's supervision. We also talked about the spiritual reasons for fasting. You may choose to fast for health reasons ... to lose weight or rid your body of toxins ... but don't confuse those fasts with the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting.

If you should decided to Fast in order to devote more time and attention to God, a word of advice: start small. Many people begin with a 24 hour fast. This would mean missing just two meals. For instance, you could have breakfast one morning, then drink only water until the next morning when you'd have breakfast again. (I love how the word 'breakfast' got it's origins: for truly you are breaking the fast of not eating all night.) In the 24 hour fast, you miss just two meals plus in between snacks. The time you would normally use for meal planning, preparation and eating can be diverted into a time of prayer, meditation or service to others.

For some, even a 24 hour fast is a challenge. If so, then skipping one meal might be the best way to begin. Hopefully you'll find encouragement to try a longer fast. Fasting for several days or a week is not uncommon and has been of benefit to Christians throughout the ages. It is important that you refrain only from food. The body can survive for more than a week before going into starvation mode but the body cannot survive but a few hours without water. If you choose to fast ... even for one meal ... be sure to drink more than your normal amount of water.

We read in the Bible of longer fasts. Moses, Esther, David, Elijah, Paul and Christ all report doing a 40 Day fast. People like Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, Gandhi,  Bill Bright and many others , in our memory, fasted for long periods of time. These were fasts for specific purposes and each person received supernatural strength from God. This is not the way to begin the Spiritual Practice of Fasting. Your body could suffer real damage. So unless you receive a direct revelation from God, please do not attempt anything so drastic.

Put along-side the week, month or 40 day fast, giving up a meal or two seems a small effort. Nonetheless, great spiritual delights can be claimed in a 24 hour or 36 hour (missing three meals). I hope you will consider trying one of these shorter fasts. Take it slow, get plenty of rest during the fast and plenty of water, but see for yourself if the Spiritual Disciple of Fasting will bring you closer to God.