How can I fast while doing a day's work?

Daniel’s practice of fasting is arguably one of the most helpful in all scripture because as a high-ranking administrative official with important and widespread responsibilities, if he wanted to fast, he had to fast while he was working.

While undergoing (intense) training for high office in the government Daniel fasts from meat and wine (1:8) and takes only vegetables and water (1:12).

Several decades later, while serving the emperor Cyrus, for a period of three weeks he again eats ‘no choice food; no meat or wine’ (10:3).

All who work are under contract to discharge responsibilities and duties to their employers and therefore need to take some food so they can complete their work to an excellent standard. Christians do not honour the Lord by doing poor work.

Daniel’s two fasts also show us how to fast over a period of time. His first fast lasted ten days, and then he and his friends continued the practice for the remainder of their training - in which they excelled. In the second, Daniel fasts for three weeks, 10:3, (his practice was to pray three times each day, 6:10).

So there is something very freeing in Daniel’s practice of fasting. He demonstrates, (once again), that fasting is not about obeying strict religious laws or putting on some big performance before God. Several times in the book Daniel is commended for his wisdom and excellence, 2:14, 4:18, 6:3, 10:11.

Daniel shows us …

There is no one right way of fasting. Scripture gives us many different examples. Any two Christians will probably go about fasting in two different ways: That’s okay!

Fasting is about abstaining from the fulfilment of (good) human desires, in order to give special time and focus to the Lord and bring a situation before him.

If the need arises we can do a ‘partial fast’ while we are doing a day’s work. (If the situation we are facing is especially serious it might be more appropriate to take a day off work in order to focus on prayer.)

We should fast wisely and have a ‘feet on the floor’ approach. We should be practical and sensible and not ‘over spiritual’.

How then can you and I fast while doing a day’s work?

Perhaps it might look like this: When we wake up we commit the day’s fasting to the Lord. We eat half a slice of bread with a little butter for breakfast. We then only drink water, (or tea or coffee), until dinner when we have a bowl of salad (If we become exhausted we might have some fruit for lunch). During the (working) day we stop from time to time to pray, worship, and read scripture. Before going to sleep we thank God for his help.