Fasting & Praying GuideExemple

The most important thing in any fast is that you do not only abstain from food. The purpose of fasting, as we’ve said, is to recalibrate our spiritual sense of dependence on God. The early Church fathers and mothers knew well that fasting from food will not avail anyone if they do not also fast from sin. This kind of fasting leads to the hypocrisy Jesus criticizes in the Jewish leaders of His day (Matt. 23). Because of this, Christians for centuries have viewed fasting as an appropriate practice to accompany periods of repentance, prayer, and the study of Scripture in our lives. Put differently, fasting is a discipline that can heighten and intensify our focus for other spiritual disciplines. Reflection: The sweet spot in fasting is when hunger for food is broken and hunger for God is ignited. Has your hunger for God been ignited in a new way? How so?