Fasting

Matthew 6:16-18

As far as I can remember, I’ve always heard about how great and rewarding fasting can be. Truth be told, until recently I never really understood the how’s of fasting. I didn’t know how simply not eating could give spiritual fulfillment.

It seems so simple, but it really hit me like a brick when I realized that it isn’t that not eating gives spiritual nourishment, it’s what you replace eating with. With all the time that goes into preparing and eating food, as well as socializing, I spend probably two to three hours in that activity each day.

If I were to replace those activities with focused scripture reading and talking to God, it is from that activity where I would find spiritual food. During a time of fasting I could concentrate on listening for the quiet voice of God, rather than passively doing it throughout the week.

With a 19-month-old, I am acutely aware of how my life seems to revolve around food. It seems to be an insurmountable task to set aside a day where I can focus only on God and not the food I eat. With that in mind, I now believe that fasting can be done in small increments. I would think it might be fair to say that just reading these daily devotions is a form of fasting. Setting aside 5 to 10 minutes each day where one can read the word of God, speak in prayer, and listen for God’s voice can be rewarding.

Prayer

God of the universe, in my hectic life, cut through my distractions with a whisper, offering me a moment to hear Your Word anew. Amen.