When You Fast . . .

Mike Hosey, An Elder

There is a lot of expectation bound up in the word "when."  If I say to my daughter, "Emily, when you get through with your chores in the kitchen I want you to walk the dogs,"  I am communicating to her that I expect her to wash the dishes at some point before she walks the dogs.  If I say to my son, Joshua, "Son, when you talk to me tonight, I want you to tell me about your day at school,"  I am communicating that I expect him to have some kind of verbal interchange with me later in the evening.

That same level of expectation is found in passages we have been studying for the past two weeks.  Jesus introduces us to the Lord's prayer by saying "when you pray . . ." (Matthew 6:7). In using the word "when," He is telling us that He expects prayer to be a normal part of life.  Later in the same passage, He introduces us to the idea of fasting. In that introduction,  He says, "when you fast . . . " (Matthew 6:16).  By using that word "when,"  He is communicating to us that He expects fasting to be a normal part of life.  And just like the rest of the passage, He expects all fasting to be genuine and not for show.  He expects it to have real significance, and not to be self-elevating.

Why would Jesus expect us to incorporate something as difficult as fasting into our lives?  Well, here are a few possibilities:

It Strengthens Self Control - Self Control is a huge thing in the Bible, and an expectation God has of us (Proverbs 25:28, Galatians 5:22-23, 2 Peter 1:5-7, 1Corinthians 9:24-27).  When we fast, we are exercising self control over a very natural part of our body. Interestingly, behavioral science has established that when we discipline ourselves in one area of our lives, it makes it easier for us to discipline ourselves in other areas.  If you have control over your stomach, then you can have control over your libido, your alcohol consumption, your tongue and a whole host of other difficult things.

It Highlights Our Seriousness - When we place our bodies in submission, it highlights our seriousness for communion with God.  Think about it, which shows more love, providing your spouse with a gift that costs you little or nothing, or one that costs personal sacrifice and a bit of pain.

It Breaks The Chains of Bondage and Evil - Isaiah 58:6 tells us that the fast God chooses is the one that looses the bonds of wickedness, and that breaks every yoke. If you struggle with any yoke and any bondage, then proper fasting can help you focus your prayers, and to commune with God in an effort to bring about freedom.

Of course, there are many more reasons than this post has space or time to explore, but for whatever reason you choose to fast, reflect on the idea that it is expected, and that it is to be genuine.