You might have noticed that when people really wanted something from God in the Bible, they almost always fasted.What does fasting do? Fasting tells God and our own spirits that we really are desperate for God to meet some need or hope that we have.Though fasting—in any fashion (and we’ll talk about some options in a minute)—is, by definition, hard, it’s actually meant to be a joyous opportunity. Suddenly we’re really serious about something with God; we’re really expecting him to come through; we aren’t just playing around. That can often be exhilarating!
What are options for fasting?
Well, first off, fasting often involves abstention from food in some way. In shorter fasts, that can be a total abstention from food. These are usually called “water fasts,” because water is the only thing going into us. For the most part, I don’t recommend these at any length beyond a week’s time, because after that, health problems can ensue. (Clearly God can speak and call you into anything—but I’d just be aware of the risks if you water fast for more than a week, and be in good touch with a doctor. You can also feel free to call our church office for more suggestions about fasting.)
Also, I do not recommend water fasts if you’ve ever suffered from an eating disorder. Those in our midst who’ve suffered from eating disorders historically have a difficult time separating this sort of fasting from the very motivation that drove them to the disorder, and thereby risk serious health problems. There are other great fasts that will do you a lot of good, if you’ve been in this situation, and can I ask that you’d pursue those?
Other food-abstention fasts involve imposing some sort of conditions on our eating over a period of time. (Some folks prefer not to call these “fasts”—reserving that title for water fasts—but prefer to call things like I’ll suggest here “consecrations.” Choose whatever terminology works for you!) This can involve anything from giving up some beloved food item for a time (desserts or sugar or caffeine being popular favorites) to something more challenging, like the so-called “Daniel fast,” which involves abstaining from everything but vegetables.
For longer fasts, I’ve sometimes done a “one meal a day” fast. It’s pretty much what it sounds like. The key is to actually eat a smaller meal than you normally would at the time, and to make that “it” for the day. If you ever know I’m on a “one meal a day” fast and it looks after awhile as if I haven’t lost an ounce, have a little talk with me.
People often pursue “juice fasts.” Again, this would customarily apply to shorter fasts, but it’s just like a water fast, except you’re allowed to drink juice, which will keep your blood sugar up and actually allow you to function at near-normal capacity.
Are there any non-food-related options?
You bet! Fasting from television is a popular choice for folks who aren’t fasting from food. Or computer games. Or catalogues. Or whatever you’d notice. These can really involve, under God’s direction, doing without anything that feels costly to give up for a season.
I’ve heard about fasts (or, again, “consecrations”) from criticism! The point of fasting is that, under God’s direction, we’re feeling desperate for something and we direct that desperation towards God. It’s just hard to truly be desperate for God and what he might do for us when our bellies are full and all our needs are abundantly provided for.
What does it mean to fast “for” something?
If you fast, I’d encourage you to let God know, frequently, what it is you’re fasting for which, I’d think, would at least tie into the “what do you want Jesus to do for you during a specific time period?” category. So, for instance, during one long fast I realized in, like, Day 3 that I didn’t really have a specific focus for my fast, and I asked God. He seemed to tell me that it was a fast primarily on behalf of a close friend of mine who was really far from God. Not long thereafter, that friend plunged himself into a life of pursuing Jesus for the first time in his life.
Does fasting help us lose weight (and I know you’re asking that on behalf of a friend)?
Isn’t this one of life’s colossal bummers? The answer, from all reputable sources, is, “No, not really.” There are 2 problems that keep this from being, for most people, about weight loss. First, once we’ve fasted (from food) for awhile, our metabolism slows way down (a good thing if we were ever to face famine!). Second, sadly, it seems to be human nature that, whatever weight we lose in fasting, we quickly put back on once we resume our previous diet. One national level leader who’s known for his frequent long fasts actually seems to have gotten significantly more overweight as the years have rolled on.
Now, the upside of this truism is that we really can let God know that we’re doing this because we want deeper desperation for and connection with him. This really is about more than body image.
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