There are a lot of voices in our society telling us to push, be more, be better. Achievement is what gives our lives value and meaning. But that is not what God is saying to us.

When it comes to spiritual disciplines, it is not so much about becoming better or offering God something, as it is about stopping and letting Him do something in and for us.

Take fasting for example. We often fast as a kind of urgent prayer. When things get really bad we fast and pray. There is nothing wrong with that approach when we need God to move, but there is a tendency to think, “If I fast stringently enough, if I pray hard enough, maybe God will intervene and help me out.”

This is pagan thinking. Jesus said, “When you pray, do not be like the pagans. They think they will be heard for their many words.”

The truth is God is already working. God wants to work for you, in you, and through you to make you a royal priest, and the world a paradise. He is abundantly generous!

Fasting and praying is about us stopping our machinations, our attempts to “fix” the situation, and our willingness to be ministered to by God. Our surrender to His design and His plan.

Now that being said, fasting is uncomfortable. We stop eating. We stop keeping the body fed and comfortable, and something in us that the bible calls “flesh” starts to wake up and go on the prowl.

{Let me make a side comment here. The body is not sinful. The body is the vessel and instrument by which you experience this life while you are here on earth. It is created by God and it is a good gift from Him to you. You should take care of. However, our bodies share many similarities with animals, and in our nature there is a temptation to follow certain animal instincts without consulting our reason, our values, or God’s Word. This tendency to live according to an ideology that comes from animals is what the bible means by “flesh.” Genesis 2-3 illustrate that this is not what God is calling us to. When we fast we subordinate our instincts for self-preservation, our attempts to evade threats or discomforts and seek our own comfort and we prioritize our trust in God. }

I find that fasting is like squeezing a tube of toothpaste. I put the tube under pressure and whatever is in there comes out. It is one of the best ways I have found to put myself on God’s workbench and let Him work on my heart and character. All my old wounds and unforgiveness come out when I fast. All my areas of omission are laid bear when I fast. It is hard sometimes to be a pleasant person when I fast.

That is probably why Jesus says, “Wash your face, quit being so dramatic!” That’s a paraphrase, but I think it’s pretty accurate. We are fasting for this purpose, so why grumble when we get what we asked for? We want to confront the beast within. We want to get the junk out, so we can go forward as a Royal Priest and Image Bearer into a world waiting for Re-creation. 

When you fast, watch to see what comes up. What grievances resurface and start gnawing away at your mind? What resentments? What disappointments and regrets? Don’t let these discourage you and don’t be tempted to think that these angry disgruntled voices in your head are telling you the truth.

Thank God that He is there and desires to deal with these very issues. To heal these very things in your heart. Pray and open your ears to hear Him guiding you to Truth. Some of the greatest moments of clarity have come from fasting. When I’m lost and need a reset of my vision and my identity in Christ I fast.

It can even be beneficial to ask, “What things am I leaning on that feed my “flesh?” and remove those things from your “diet.” They may not be food.