Fasting is Feasting

Have you experienced the joy of doing a spiritual fast? It's a great way to cultivate the  Cross and Resurrection rhythm of life that is the basis of Christianity.

But many Christ-followers shy away from fasting. Few know how to do it in ways that cultivate greater love for God and neighbor.

Transformation through Fasting

Fasting is one of the most transforming spiritual practices that I have used. It helps me to be with Jesus and become like him; it helps me to be more patient and generous. I do this especially during Lent to appreciate and identify with the cross of Christ, but I also do this regularly throughout the year.

Many ministry leaders and others I have worked with over the years have found fasting very helpful to cultivate greater intimacy with Christ. And I have shown them how to use fasting to help them overcome struggles with lust, anger, selfish ambition, alcoholism, and other problems.

The point of a spiritual fast is to learn how to deny yourself food or something else that you want for a period of time, perhaps a day or longer, in order to learn how to draw nourishment from the living Word of God. While feeling physically hungry remind yourself of how spiritually hungry you are for God and his word. Let your hunger pangs become as church bells calling you to pray!

There are Many Ways to Fast

It may take practice fasting from food for you to get past headaches, tiredness, grumpiness, or irritability. Don’t get discouraged. To ease into learning to fast and gain spiritual benefit from it you may want to start with skipping just one meal. Or you can try a partial fast where you restrict yourself certain foods or eat significantly less than normal. These types of fasts are still helpful because the point of your spiritual fast is to feel hungry. (If for health reasons you cannot fast from food then you can deny yourself use of media, e.g., television, newspaper, and Internet.)

With practice you can discover that fasting is feasting! By relying on the power of the Spirit of Christ instead of food you can learn how to remain sweet and strong even when you don’t get what you want.  And learning that changes your life! You can apply that lesson to other things like keeping your peace in stress, responding with kindness when you’re mistreated, being generous to people who don’t deserve it, not being impulsive in relationships or business deals, and being happy for others to succeed more than you do.

My “Fasting is Feasting” Prayer is based on a medley of Scriptures. Many pastors, leaders, and Christ-followers of all kinds have found this prayer helps them to grow in God's grace as they fast:

Fasting is Feasting Prayer

By the mercy of Christ
I shall not live by bread alone
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God.[i]
~
The Word of God
Is alive and active;
The Lord is right now speaking
His life into my soul.[ii]
~
The Spirit of God
That raised Christ from the dead
Lives and prays in my body
And reminds me of Jesus’ words.[iii]
~
So as I fast from food I feast with joy
On the manna from heaven,
The bread of angels,
The Bread of Life, who is Jesus.[iv]
~
My food is to be one with Jesus:
To do the will of the Father,
To finish his works of love,
To share my food with the hungry.[v]
~
In the name of the Father,
The Son,
And the Spirit.
Amen.
~
Note, if you choose to fast from the media or something else instead of food then in the fourth paragraph of the prayer say, “As I fast from ______ I feast with joy…”

More Soul Transformation

I've just written “Follow Jesus on the Stations of the Cross: Enter a Gospel Scene to Participate in Resurrection Life.” This devotional booklet based on the ancient stations of the cross facilitates deep healing and growth in grace. “Make a Soul Friend at the Cross” is an excerpt and explains how you can order this booklet.

Read about Bill’s experience with fasting.

On my Soul Shepherding Blog during Lent I'm sharing a series of short devotionals from the Stations of the Cross.

You can seek Christ's face with me on  Facebook and Twitter .

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

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[i] Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4
[ii] Hebrews 4:7, 12
[iii] Romans 8:11, John 14:26
[iv] Matthew 6:16-18, Psalm 78:24-25, John 6:35, 48
[v] John 17:21, 4:34, Isaiah 58:5-7