Fasting and (not) Furious
In an effort to learn and implement the spiritual disciplines of Jesus in our own lives, seven of us from our Thursday morning men’s group have recently spent some time devoting ourselves to the spiritual discipline of fasting.
Over the last eight months, we have committed to fasting once a week together (trying to anyway), we have read a book together on fasting and we started a group text thread to encourage one another and to discuss what we are learning along the way.
It’s been a great learning experience, and even though I still feel like an amateur when it comes to fasting, I thought it would be helpful to share some of what I’ve learned. So here’s the breakdown…
What is Fasting?
4 Facts on Fasting
3 Things I’ve Learned About Fasting
What is Fasting?
Fasting is choosing to not eat food for a certain amount of time.
Now that may seem like an obvious definition, but often you will hear people say things like…
“I’m fasting from social media.”
“I’m fasting from alcohol this month.”
“I’m fasting from sweets for Lent.”
“I’m fasting from the news until the election is over.”
Have you ever heard someone say something like this? Have you every said something like this?
If so, let’s make sure that we go ahead and clear this up.
This is not fasting.
You do not fast from social media, sugar or soft drinks. That is not fasting; that is called abstinence. That is choosing to abstain from something for a certain amount of time. Abstaining from things is a great discipline, but it is not the same as fasting. There’s a difference, and we need to make sure that we understand and acknowledge this difference before we get started.
Fasting is about not eating food. Any food (and sometimes water).
That being said, we also need to clarify that the spiritual discipline of fasting is not dieting (ie. a Daniel Fast, intermittent fasting, etc.). Jesus and his followers did not fast for the health benefits. That is a different thing entirely, and so again we need to make sure that we understand and acknowledge this difference.
The fasting that we are talking about is a spiritual discipline; not a strategic diet.
And so, before we say anything else, let’s just make sure we have a good working definition of what we are talking about when we talk about fasting.
Fasting is the spiritual discipline of not eating food for a certain amount of time in order to focus our attention on God. The amount of time may vary, but traditionally it is from sunrise to sunset (12 hours) or from sunset to sunset (24 hours).
4 Facts About Fasting
Fasting is found in all the major world religions and philosophies, but unfortunately it is one of the most misunderstood and neglected spiritual disciplines among followers of Jesus. So I thought it would be helpful to highlight some insights from the Jewish tradition and early Christian practice of fasting.
1. Devout Jews and Pharisees Fasted Twice-a-Week
We get a glimpse of this twice-a-week practice in Jesus’ parable about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector…
“Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get…’” (Luke 18:9-12)
This practice of fasting twice-a-week is not commanded anywhere in Scripture. The only fast commanded in the Torah is the once-a-year fast on the Day of Atonement.
However, the Pharisees were known for exceeding what the Torah required, and their practice of fasting twice-a-week (every Monday and Thursday) is referenced here in this parable and recorded in other Jewish literature.
2. Fasting Was in the Original “Top 3 Spiritual Disciplines”
In Jesus’ day, there was an emphasis on prayer, fasting and giving to the poor as being the three most important spiritual disciplines. These are also the three practices mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus addresses how we ought to do our acts of righteousness (see Matthew 6:1-18).
Isn’t it interesting that fasting is mentioned?
If I was to ask you, “What would you consider to be the top three spiritual disciplines for a follower of Jesus?”… would you have put fasting in your top three?
3. Jesus Assumed His Followers Would Fast
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus highlights the three spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and giving to the poor, and in his instruction on how to fast, he says this…
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others…” (Matthew 6:16)
Notice the emphasis on “when you fast”.
It was assumed his followers would.
Another time, Jesus is questioned about why his disciples are not fasting, and in his response to this question, he says this…
And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast…” (Matthew 9:15)
Notice the emphasis on “then they will fast”.
Again, it was just assumed that this was a spiritual discipline his followers would practice.
4. Early Christians Fasted Twice-a-Week Too
Jesus assumed his followers would fast, and they did. The first Christians continued the Jewish practice and fasted twice-a-week as well.
However, out of a strong desire to separate themselves from the Pharisees, they chose to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays instead of Mondays and Thursdays. The first-century Christian document known as the Didache puts it this way…
“Do not have your fasts with the hypocrites. For they fast on Mondays and Thursdays; but you should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays.”
Traditionally, the early Christians chose these two days of the week because Judas had betrayed Jesus on a Wednesday, and Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
And so, to recap…
Devout Jews and Pharisees Fasted Twice-a-Week
Fasting Was in the Original “Top 3 Spiritual Disciplines”
Jesus Assumed His Followers Would Fast
Early Christians Fasted Twice-a-Week Too
Hopefully these insights have added some motivation to the definition and ignited an interest in you to begin implementing this spiritual discipline in your own life as well. To wrap all of this up, I’ll share three things that I’ve learned from my own practice over the last eight months and give you some tips on how to get started.
3 Things I’ve Learned About Fasting
1. Fasting is a Response
This was a paradigm shift for me in the way that I thought about fasting as a spiritual discipline. Fasting is primarily meant to be a response to something; not a request for something.
In his book, Fasting, Scot McKnight defines fasting like this…
“Fasting is a response to a sacred moment, not an instrument designed to get desired results. The focus in the Christian tradition is not “if you fast you will get,” but “when this happens, God’s people fast.”
This was a profound change in my perspective on fasting.
Before this, I had always viewed fasting as something extra that you could do when you really wanted something from God. (And I’m not quite saying that there’s not some room for that.) But learning to see fasting as a response to something instead of a way to ramp up my request for something was a profound shift in my thinking.
Here’s a few examples of what we might consider significant moments (or “sacred moments”) that might lead us to fast…
Disruptions and new callings: Think about Jesus fasting right after his baptism and at the launch of his ministry, or Paul fasting right after his Damascus Road experience.
Revelation and repentance of sin: Think about David fasting after being confronted about his affair with Bathsheba, or Ezra fasting because of the sinfulness of his own people.
Tragedy and grief: Think about David fasting in response to the death of his son, or Nehemiah fasting after the destruction of Jerusalem.
Again, as Scot McKnight puts it, “When these things happen, God’s people fast.”
And so, I’ve learned to think about it this way: Fasting is a way for us to respond to significant moments that helps us process these moments.
2. Fasting Builds “Muscle”
In a society that relentlessly promotes the pursuit of personal pleasure, and where we can easily indulge in all that the world has to offer, fasting is a helpful discipline.
Fasting exercises our self-restraint, self-denial and self-control muscles.
It is even a discipline that is often prescribed to those who struggle with addictions and/or pornography.
Many of us are more weak than we realize or would like to admit when it comes to not giving in to our natural desires. Fasting can help strengthen our self-control muscles. It helps to “crucify the flesh” (in Paul’s language), it prepares us for difficulty and suffering, and it cultivates a life of more contentment and gratitude.
Fasting can also build our compassion and empathy muscles.
The discomfort of fasting helps us to compassionately identify with those who are suffering in some way. An example of this is committing to fasting every time a friend or loved one has to go through chemo or radiation. It an act of empathy that allows us to somewhat enter into the suffering of others in order to support them.
3. Fasting Slows Life Down
I’ve noticed that I seem to have a heightened awareness of what’s going on around me on the days that I fast. I feel more present with the people around me and more aware of the reality of God’s presence in the world.
There is a physical slowing down that takes place in your body that seems to help slow down your heart and mind as well.
This is part of the beauty of fasting. It is a spiritual discipline that incorporates your body into the mix. Scot McKnight refers to this as an embodied spirituality — fasting emphasizes the deep connection between our body and spirit.
And so, on the days that I’m fasting, I’ve learned to eliminate hurry and to embrace the slowness. I try to avoid scheduling too many things on these days and leave some margin in-between meetings and appointments.
I’ve learned that I don’t want to be distracted when I’m fasting; I want to stay mindful of why I’m doing it in the first place and focus my attention on the presence of God.
Final Thoughts
Fasting is the spiritual discipline of not eating food for a certain amount of time in order to focus our attention on God. The amount of time may vary, but traditionally it is from sunrise to sunset (12 hours) or from sunset to sunset (24 hours).
It is a spiritual response to significant moments in life that slows things down and brings our whole body into play. It also exercises self-denial and builds compassion for others.
Jesus assumed his followers would fast.
The saints of church history have been people who fast.
And so, I invite you to gather a few of your friends and to start trying to implement this practice in your own life. See what you learn (about yourself and the presence of God).
Fasting is an embodied spirituality. It is a spiritual discipline that is found in all the major world religions, but one that is often neglected among followers of Jesus.
And so, with all that being said, I thought these words from the Baptist pastor John Piper were a great way to end this series…
May we be hungry enough for God’s leading that we want to say it with the hunger of our bodies and not just the hunger of our hearts.
Hope this has been helpful!
