Fasting & Praying GuideSample

Fasting has a way of bringing to the surface sins that lie deep within our hearts. As Richard Foster says, “More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us…We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface.” A variety of things might surface for you as you continue to fast. When the desires of the flesh are not met, they tend to assert themselves more strongly. When we fast, we can more easily identify the works of the flesh in our own lives and repent of them. We can cry out to God like the psalmist and say, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10). The good news is that God hears those prayers and answers them.

Reflection:

I’m a foodie, and my tastes are pretty sophisticated. I love unique flavors and complex combinations in my recipes. But when I overindulge—using food as a distraction from stress, boredom, or routine—I end up overeating and under-enjoying. My tastes become harder to satisfy, and I lose appreciation for God’s simple pleasures.

Fasting starves my excesses and realigns my needs. It reminds me of how little I need and how much I’ve lost my appreciation for God’s simple blessings. I always break my fast with an avocado. It tastes phenomenal. I savor it, value it, and thoroughly enjoy it.

Satan, through our excesses, wants us to crave more of what we don’t need. Fasting restores gratitude, allowing us to savor the smallest of miracles and blessings.

What simple pleasures has God given you that you can savor today?