Our squad recently had a mini teaching about fasting and the importance behind it. Growing up, fasting was never something that was talked about a lot. I knew that it was a thing, but I didn’t thinK is was very important. During our teaching, however, we learned that it is very necessary. Similar to reading the bible or praying, fasting helps to grow and cultivate a deeper relationship with God.
Fasting is not meant to be some kind of legalistic obligation, but instead, comes from a heart posture of “I need more of you God.”
In Matthew 6:16 it says:
“when you fast do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your father who is in secret and your father who sees you in secret will reward you.”
This implies that it isn’t something we can simply choose out of if we don’t like it. While fasting can look a lot of different ways, it is meant to cost you something. When we fast from food, we are recognizing that our bodies literally need God to survive. The Lord provides us with everything we need, so when we chose to not eat food, and press into the Lord, we are denying ourselves and seeking the Lord in an intentional and beautiful way.
Based on my prior beliefs about fasting, I thought it meant just cutting things out of my life. For example, fasting from social media, or not eating any sugar. But in reality fasting looks like cutting things out, AND THEN filling that space with more of Jesus. We are ridding ourselves of things that don’t bring us life, and filling them with Jesus. I’ve also seen fasting being practiced solely when they are in need of something from God. But we also learned that fasting is not a “transactional practice”. We don’t fast so that we can get something from God. We fast so that we can seek him and realign ourselves with his heart and surrender to him. That doesn’t mean that it’s bad to fast when we are trying to reach a goal or are in a dire situation. But it all depends on the position of our heart. Are we saying, “God I’m gonna fast so that I can get what I need.” or are we saying “Im gonna fast so that I can press in and hear from you”.
Fasting is actually really cool, and I’m looking forward to how it will change me and my heart, as well as the culture of our squad.
