Text: Matthew 6:16-18, Hosea 6:6, 1 Samuel 16:7
“For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
-Hosea 6:6
Here’s the thing I’ve learned about fasting: it’s really only ever for one thing.
Fasting is for God’s glory.
It is for our drawing near to Him, yes.
It is for mourning our sin, yes.
It is for interceding and returning and repenting. All of those things.
But all those things are for His glory.
We can fast from food while feasting on our own pride. We can withhold indulgences while noting them as accomplishments. It may not be easy to fast, but it is quite easy to make our fasting about us, isn’t it?
We don’t set out for it to be this way, but we are sinners and thoughts of self come so naturally. Even our most selfless deeds—our efforts to deny ourselves and take up our cross—require God’s grace.
Jesus tells us in Matthew, “Whenever you fast, don’t be sad-faced . . . put oil on your head and wash your face, so that you don’t show your fasting to people but to your Father” (Matthew 6:16). And in 1 Corinthians, Paul tells us, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Before knowing ourselves or training behaviors or even petitioning Him—the first reason we fast is to give glory to our Maker. It’s why we’re here. It’s why we have breath in our lungs. It’s what is asked of us in anything that we do.
“You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
You are not pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.”
-Psalm 51:16-17
He who knit us together, sees and searches and knows every beat of our hearts (Psalm 139:1-2, 23; 1 Samuel 16:7). Imagine Him, our Creator and Father, being presented with gifts from our heart to His, knowing full well they were never really intended for Him. Our sacrifices are empty apart from our God. They are utterly meaningless outside of communing with Him.
And so, we fast to know Him. Because that gives Him glory.
We fast to become like Christ. Because this glorifies the Father.
We fast—whatever it is we’re fasting from—because He is God and we are not.
We fast for Him.
Tomorrow we will read accounts from God’s Word about fasting as intercession, and on Friday, Scripture will help us understand fasting as humility. But today, let’s hold the mystery of biblical fasting in front of us and understand it simply as a means and opportunity to bring glory and honor to the One who desires, deserves, and demands our worship.
Whatever we eat or drink, whatever we don’t eat or don’t drink—whatever we do—let’s do it all for the glory of our God. Because our fasting and feasting, our prayer and confession, our meditation and our study—it’s all about so much more than us. It is about His Kingdom. It is about Him.
“I do not know You God because I am in the way.
Please help me to push myself aside.”
-Flannery O’Connor, A Prayer Journal
I gave up watching movies and it is working out well, cos after the day”s activities i used to watch movies to the extent that i hardly read my Bible and devotional guide. this year i seek to know God and the power of his resurrection. this prayer“I do not know You God because I am in the way.Please help me to push myself aside.” says it all
This study seems to be based on the assumption that we should fast over Lent. The church traditions I have grown up in have never emphasised this and I have never done so. I don’t think it is a given. However, I am genuinely curious, for those who do fast during Lent, have you found it to be a helpful experience? Why have you chosen to do so? How do you choose what to give up?
This lent is the first time I’ve “given anything up” I usually try to add something like prayer or time in the word. I heard a sermon about fasting once and it said to fast not from something that is already sinful but something that is distracting. So this time i prayed about what it is God wants me to restrict myself from for a time and I believe he lead me to give up crime shows haha. I know that sounds silly but crime shows and watching crime shows aren’t sinful but they do distract me and take up my time and even thoughts. I’m trying to replace that time I would normally hang out on the couch watching csi or forensic files with reading and meditating on gods word. It’s been amazing how much I’m am dwelling on things that are right and true and just now that that is out of the picture. I have found it helpful also in showing me how much time I devote to those shows and relaxation – when it’s taken away you realize how dependent you were on them and how obsessed.
This year I have deleted the Facebook and Instagram apps from my phone. I have decided that I spend too much time on them and would like to use the extra time I gain from not using them to read His Word and spend more time meditating on the study here.
I gave up both of these for lent and it has opened up so much opportunity for me to spend more time in the word. I feel so convicted when I think about how much time I spend on these social media sites. It’s been such a great opportunity for me to take a step back just focus on the lord and give him more of my time. I’ve learned that I enjoy reading the word and reflecting on these readings way more than I do these apps. This lent season has been such a great eye opener as to where my priorities were before. Thanks for sharing your heart!!
I also gave up social media. It’s amazing how much time we waste on such meaningless gossip and nonsense. I have this up to focus on people and things that matter. Mainly getting back into church and the word but also focusing on the people in front of me and not those I knew ten years ago. Good luck with your fasting, ladies!
Just to be up front, these are my personal views, not those of any particular church. But your question is something I’ve given a lot of thought and prayer to. I grew up Catholic, and spent every Lenten season giving something up. I believe fasting is an important tradition for all the reasons mentioned today, but sadly it can be approached from the wrong direction too easily. Even fasting during Lent simply because of tradition can convey the wrong point. Rather, using Lent as a season to grow deeper in relationship with Christ is much more important. As i reflect on the time Jesus spent in the desert and the journey Jesus took to the cross, it humbles me beyond fasting, to the point of dieing to myself and my independence, and living to honor Christ. In more recent years, sometimes I feel the Spirit prompting me to fast, while sometimes I feel the Spirit prompting me to add on something to my life. Either way, the ultimate purpose is to draw me in, humble me, take away my pride, and to honor my Lord and Savior.
Fasting happened all the time in the Bible and I believe God still wants us to fast today, for his glory. Evangelicals have mainly given up this practice, and I’m not sure why. There’s something that happens when you give up something for God that draws you closer to him. Praying and asking God what to give up is definitely a good place to start – he will nudge you and tell you what is distracting/keeping you from having all your attention taken away from him. Do you ever find yourself thinking “I could NEVER give this up!”….then maybe that’s the very thing that has a hold on you that you need to give up. I have said before that I could never give up sweets because I’m too addicted to sugar. So that’s what I gave up for Lent this year. It’s been very hard – but, I know God has been helping me. Anytime I’m tempted I will say a prayer. I have also started praying and reading the bible more, spending more time with Him. So what has started as just a way to get off sugar is manifesting as me getting closer to my Savior and bringing him glory.
Before even reading any of the words written for this time today, I felt the tension of the scriptures. I was sitting here reading the scripture, thinking, “If I’m getting fired up about this, I can only imagine God’s heart since He’s the one being offended here!” Just reading through all of this, it’s completely evident that God only wants change in our hearts, being tuned towards Him. I mean most of my friends give up soda for Lent. Thinking about that today, I just wondered why they do it. I mean I don’t know if Coke has affected their personal walk with God or not; but let’s be real, most people give up soda not because they want the heart change God desires, they want that the physical change that come’s along with giving up soda. They want to just break a bad habit they’ve developed… I want to challenge you ladies (and myself) to really examine your walk with God and choose to give up something that really is affecting your walk with Him. Love you ladies, and I’m glad to see the realizations occurring in so many hearts today :)
“I do not know You God because I am in the way. Please help me push myself aside.” This will be my mantra. Every day I will look at it, memorize it, meditate and pray on it. I was just thinking this morning how I want too much and how I get in my own way, but the truth is, my thinking is “woe is me, poor me.” The bigger truth is that I need Him to lead the way and be in charge, and I need to humble myself and ask for help, and I nee to step aside, or be pushed aside by Him. Thank you, this was a great post.
I love that quote too, it’s a reminder of how much I move because God never moves. He’s the alpha and omega. Me, well, I’m not even close.
I find it so hard to fast for His glory. My mind and desires so quickly go to fasting from something I will benefit from. I haven’t made much of a practice of fasting in my life for this reason, I knew it was for me and not Him. I gave and give up to easily when I “don’t see the point” or I “don’t get anything out of it” spiritually. This has challenged me, though I am not sure how to go about with the first steps forward.
I feel the same way. I was actually a little surprised to read this, that we need to fast for Him, not us or our benefit, and it did make sense. It makes sense that I’m usually not successful at fasting. A friend and I decided to give up chocolate for Lent, and all I’ve been thinking about is weight loss benefits, and it drove me crazy. Now I know I need to search deeper, and what and Who the true meaning/purpose of fasting is.
That’s exactly the problem I have. I can’t even think about starting to fast without my mind going to the weight loss benefits (I had ED problems a long time ago), so I never do it because I always feel like I’m never doing it for the right reasons if those things are on my mind as side benefits. I don’t really know where to go from there :/
I thought this was an informative article for those of us who might be new to fasting! http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners
In the past , I have practiced fasting on many occasions and look forward to my usual lent fast. For some reason I can’t seem to wrap my head or heart around it. There is nothing that is standing out for me to fast from. Maybe this is the issue:
“I do not know You God because I am in the way.
Please help me to push myself aside.”
-Flannery O’Connor, A Prayer Journal
Hoping to find my way to Him, to see His will in this. Fasting has always been such an important part of feeling closer to Him.
LOVE the Flannery O Connor quote at the end. I just discovered her this past year. She led an incredibly interesting life and reflected on questions of morality and God in such a fearless way. Thanks for including a nod to her in this!
Today I’m spending some time fasting food & social media & this word couldn’t be more timely! Even after the sacrifices, God only wants our loyalty. What a beautiful reminder. Whatbeautiful reminder