How do we get from where we are at to where we want to go – or meant to be?
We start a new spiritual diet that eliminates some of our favorite food items or beverages.
If you are wondering if I am talking about Biblical fasting today, I am.
I believe this is a tool that Jesus shows us in scripture of how we can allow our body to submit to our spirit being.
Both the Old Testament and New Testament teach the value of fasting, which is abstaining from food or drink in order to focus on prayer and seeking God’s will. Fasting is mentioned over 70 times throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, there were two types of fasting: public and private. Both types offer great spiritual benefits.
If you have ever fasted, you have experienced the benefits of putting the desires of the spirit over the impulses of our body.
Listen to this beautiful quote by St. Thomas Aquinas:
“Fasting is a perfect quieting of our impulses,
fleshly and spiritual.
Fasting is not meant to drag us down,
but to still us.
It is not meant to distract us from the real, but rather to
silence us so that we can hear things as they most truly are”
I don’t know about you, but I could use some ‘stilling’ right about now!
Intermittent fasting is popular right now in our culture, and good for our bodies, but let’s not confuse what Jesus speaks to us in Joel 2:12 “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Saying NO to our carnal man is not easy, but if we take the time to get before God in this manner, something miraculous happens. It’s divine and mysterious all packaged together.
So, here is the question of questions, what are you willing to dedicate to God this week on your fasting altar? A cup of coffee, a meal, an attitude, and favorite snack food, saying enough is enough to numbing out on social media, complaining, being angry, ________?
My challenge to you today: Let your spirit lead the way and see what happens. Your date with God will not disappoint.
I will add this disclaimer, the more you fast, the easier it gets. God helps us dispel the lies that we cannot do any such thing – YES, YOU CAN WITH HIS HELP.
Biblical Fasting from food, gets God’s attention fast! I love the amazing events that occurred in the Bible after an individual, group of individuals and even animals fasted! And I love the miraculous that occurs in my life when I fast! God works! God is faithful!