Week Seven (Fasting) - Sunday

Fasting

Fasting.  Just the thought of it seems to be contradictory, because when this discipline is first employed, it seems to be anything but fast.  We fast for many different reasons.  Some fast for health reasons and prior to medical tests.  Some fast as a form of diet.  Others fast as a means of protest.  While all of these reasons are valid in and of themselves, none of these can be considered as a holy habit.

While the origins of fasting as a spiritual discipline are not known, there are plenty of biblical references that suggest that it has long been used in moments of personal and public piety.  In times of remorse and mourning, the Bible records that people fasted as part of their penitence.  Also, people often fasted as preparation for attempting to receive some type of guidance from God.

Fasting has continued through the centuries as a way of focusing thoughts towards God.  John Wesley practiced a form of fasting in his spiritual discipline.  Yet Wesley was not as rigorous as many would expect.  Instead of fasting for long periods of time, Wesley practiced this discipline as a daily routine, from early in the morning until “tea time” (after all, we must remember, Mr. Wesley was a proper British gentleman). 

Today, many Christians are beginning to reclaim this age-old tradition to help them reorient their lives more towards God and less towards the world.  One way that has become rather vogue in recent years is to practice a type of fast during the liturgical season of Lent.  Lent is the time of year that begins with Ash Wednesday and ends at Easter.  It is the period that the church recalls Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days where he fasted and was tempted by Satan, yet resisted succumbing to these temptations.  Many Christians thus use this time as a time of self-examination and fasting.  Most who fast though do not totally give up food for the forty days though.  Instead, they decide to “give something up” for Lent, thus abstaining from it during these forty days.  For instance, I know many who refuse to eat sweets during Lent, or give up caffeine.  For many of these who practice this type of fast during Lent, they may replace the time that would be normally dedicated to that which they have given up with a time of prayer.  While this may seem to be a pious act, it seems to negate itself when Lent ends and the person returns to their old ways and no longer spends that time in prayer and reflection.

Fasting for Lent can be a good practice for us to recall the price that Jesus paid for us and to help us to reorient our lives, but since it occurs only forty days out of the year, it could hardly be considered a holy habit.  For fasting to become a holy habit, it must be practiced more often and more consistently.  It is up to you to establish a routine of fasting and how deeply you want to engage in it.

Let me offer some ideas of how you might consider making fasting one of your holy habits:

• Fast one day each week
• Fast one meal of a particular day
• Fast from things other than food, such as: television, radio, Internet,…
• Spend time in prayer and reading the Bible during the fast.

Again, fasting, for the purpose of 12 Habits of Holy Living, is a personal spiritual discipline.  It is up to each individual as to when, how, and to what degree that you engage in it.  You may decide to begin at a reasonable and achievable level and then intensify as you progress.  It is better to start lightly and continue this as a lifelong habit than to start out too rigid and never make it a habit.  May God bless you and your endeavor.


JOURNAL QUESTIONS

1. Reflect on your sermon notes and journal reading from today.


GROUP EXERCISE

10 minutes - Community Building (informal time of gathering)
10 minutes - Sharing of Concerns and Praises
  5 minutes - Prayer for One Another
30 minutes - Discussion of Topic
                     - What journal entry would you like to share?
                     - Have you ever fasted? Was it a meaningful experience?
                     - In conjunction with fasting, what can you do to help your spiritual growth?
                     - How do you feel about "Giving something up for Lent"?
                     - What creative way can you think of to fast? 
  5 minutes - Wrap Up/Closing Prayer