Fasting as cleansing for body and mind

Have you ever stopped in the middle of a noisy city and suddenly felt how all the noise almost overwhelms you? It's only in silence that we realize how much we're soaked up in the chaos of everyday life. It is similar with our inner self - body, soul and spirit are often under constant pressure from our decisions, our expectations and our self-perception.

We often try to cover up our inner turmoil. Our soul - our thoughts, feelings and will - strives to stay in control, but it reaches its limits. If our image of ourselves does not match reality, we feel weak, have self-doubt or dissatisfaction. Our body then unconsciously takes on the burden of the soul, which can manifest itself in the form of stress, tension or physical discomfort.

But God has a different order for us. His invitation is: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts (compare Hebrews 3:15). His words are spirit and life, and in them our soul and body find true rest. When we stop trying to order our lives in our own strength and instead allow God's Word to guide us, we experience the divine order we so long for.

Fasting is a way of rediscovering this divine order. When we abstain from food for a certain period of time, we feel how noisy our body can become. However, the aim of fasting is not to torture the body, but to lead it and our soul to a quiet place - into the presence of God.

Because God speaks in silence. It is not our hunger, our worries or our own thoughts that guide us there, but his spirit. Fasting sharpens our perception of his voice. It helps us to recognize that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God's mouth (compare Matthew 4:4).

Fasting is not just a temporary renunciation, but a spiritual exercise that helps us to live permanently in God's order. It teaches us to lead our body, soul and spirit into His rest. In this rest lies the true fullness of life - a stillness that cannot be disturbed by external circumstances because it comes from God Himself. God invites you to discover this order. Perhaps it is time to refocus your heart on Him and consciously enter into His rest through fasting?

Next Step: Jesus is the bread of life. Let the Holy Spirit show you which words of Jesus are your bread in fasting.