Fasting - Another Gut Check

My current sermon series continually provides gut checks for me. As I have stated a few times already, I am quite familiar with the Sermon on the Mount, but in studying it again, and living with it week after week (now 13 weeks with another 8 or 9 to go), the words of Jesus continue to convict me in ways I have not felt in quite some time.

This past Sunday focused on the few verses on fasting from Matthew 6 (vv 16-18). I have fasted – many times. I have done several extended fasts including periods of 40 and 50 days (twice), and others not quite as long. I do not say this to impress anyone because that would go against the very purpose of Jesus message. I reveal this information here because my reward for those fasts was already secured – not from others, but from myself. Not all of my fasts were self-rewarded, but in my zealousness to fast in prior years,  I did so with a partial intent on focusing on God, and a partial intent on seeing if I could do it (thus the 50 days, essentially I gave up food for lent). Why? Not because I was called, but to see if I could. And I can honestly say those two 50-day fasts did not draw me closer to God, as I recall. Now, thankfully, other fasts have brought extreme moments of intimacy with God in addition to a greater trust in His provision. I do not mention those fasts here because my reward with God is secure if I hold them close to my heart, so I simply mention the fact that not all of my fasts have been (partially) selfishly motivated, but some definitely have.

Thus, the words of Jesus spoke directly to me this week. I have always tried to maintain my personal appearance and not allow others to know I was fasting. Of course, with the weight loss that ensues, it is hard to prevent questions, and when you are invited to eat with others, it causes a challenge, but overall, I did well to conceal my fasting each time from most everyone. And while fasting, I studied the concept (such as Isaiah 58), and was frustrated I could not give more to others because  my food bill often increased as I supplemented water with various types of juice (non high-fructose types). I would say I learned a lot about fasting, about myself, and about God, especially on the fasts when my focus was completely upon Him.

Overall, I am thankful for the opportunities when I have fasted. I say that because I now have diabetes and do not know that I can safely fast from food. If God calls me to fast, and I am certain of His call, I still will, but it has been a few years now since that has happened. Nonetheless, I need to be ready to respond if He does call. However, the need for me to find times to be intimate with Him are what is critical. He should not need to ask me to fast, and I should not need to fast, for that to happen. But to fast for an extended period with the potential health hazards does require some assurance (within the context of faith) that He is the one asking it at this point.

If you have not fasted, I would encourage it. Start small – perhaps fasting for lunch. It is more than skipping a meal, it is replacing the meal with a focus on God. Over time, perhaps you will fast for a day or longer. An extended fast certainly has its physical challenges at times, but it has so many blessings along the way that I literally would get to a point I didn’t care if I ate again (other than having a desire to chew something!) So, try it. See where God leads you. I assure you (because of Jesus’ words), if you fast to seek God, you will be satisfied (Matthew 5.6).

As for me, I need to determine how I might now fast in a non-traditional sense. I am certain He has ideas in mind for me, and this past week of study and preparation to preach Jesus’ words has resurfaced the idea in my mind. For now, I have no clear answers, but I am certain that if I truly want to know Him better, some type of fast will lead me where I (should) long to go.