So, let me start by saying. I am a faster. I'm a pretty useless prayer warrior. Also, I almost only sing praise and worship in group settings. (I feel awkward doing both the lead and background parts by myself.) So, fasting is my go to solution for almost any problem. In fact, any time something doesn't work out I usually scratch my head and wonder, "Maybe I should have fasted?" People have asked me for a beginner's guide to fasting. (Well, one person has. So, I'm assuming the rest of you really want to, but just haven't done so yet.) So, here goes.
1. Friends don't let friends fast alone. I used to interpret this verse of scripture to mean I had to fast in secret. But, now, I really don't think that's the point of this verse. I'm not saying that you should make "I'm holy, I'm fasting. Don't bother me with your unrighteousness," your Facebook status whenever you fast. But, it can be helpful if you let people around you know when you're fasting. They can pray for/with you and even fast with you. A lot of times your fasts will be more meaningful if you buddy up. Also, letting others know you're fasting helps you avoid the "devil is a liar" traps that usually come, such as friends making you a surprise breakfast on the one day you've decided to fast.
2. Don't become a fasting fatty. Because you're depriving yourself, the temptation is to overindulge in other things to distract yourself while you fast. Also, when you finally break your fast, you may feel tempted to overeat. Monitor yourself and keep this from happening. In order to deal with the temptation to overeat, when you break your fast, try to start off eating less than half the amount you would usually eat. That usually helps you stay away from a cookie monster style fast breaking session.
3. Control what you watch/ listen to. By fasting you're taking a big activity in your day out of the mix. You need to replace that with something meaningful. If all you're listening to and watching is "kill that, smash that, buy that", you're replacing the empty space with garbage. Instead listen to/watch meaningful, uplifting and, yes, holy things.
4. Put Jesus in your fast. Fill what would have been your meal times with a "Jesusy" activity, such as reading your Bible, praying, listening to sermons and gospel music, volunteering, healing the sick, or raising the dead. If you're not doing Jesusy things while you fast, you're not really fasting, you're just choosing not to eat.
5. Decide what type of fast you're doing. Then, stick to the rules you set. When I first started fasting sometimes I would see something like an apple that I really wanted. So, I'd tell myself, "Okay, I'm doing a fruit only fast" and I'd eat the apple. Then I'd see a cookie and I'd say "Okay, I'm doing a "no meat fast." Then I'd see some chicken....and you get the drift. Once you make one exception, it gets easier to keep making exceptions.
6. Alternatives. If fasting from food is a real problem for you, for example if you have a health problem or a lifestyle that demands constant eating (i.e. you're a competitive eater or an athlete) examine your life and look for something that is a huge stumbling block in your faith walk. During your fasting period, completely cut that thing out of your life.
7. Pray, pray again, and then pray some more. Pray before you fast for the strength to carry out your fast and for God's guidiance through your fast. While you're fasting, continue praying for endurance and for a meaningful life change. If you're fasting to get a specific thing, remember to pray for that request. Finally, pray before you break your fast. Thank God for carrying you through the fast.
Thoughts?
1. Friends don't let friends fast alone. I used to interpret this verse of scripture to mean I had to fast in secret. But, now, I really don't think that's the point of this verse. I'm not saying that you should make "I'm holy, I'm fasting. Don't bother me with your unrighteousness," your Facebook status whenever you fast. But, it can be helpful if you let people around you know when you're fasting. They can pray for/with you and even fast with you. A lot of times your fasts will be more meaningful if you buddy up. Also, letting others know you're fasting helps you avoid the "devil is a liar" traps that usually come, such as friends making you a surprise breakfast on the one day you've decided to fast.
2. Don't become a fasting fatty. Because you're depriving yourself, the temptation is to overindulge in other things to distract yourself while you fast. Also, when you finally break your fast, you may feel tempted to overeat. Monitor yourself and keep this from happening. In order to deal with the temptation to overeat, when you break your fast, try to start off eating less than half the amount you would usually eat. That usually helps you stay away from a cookie monster style fast breaking session.
3. Control what you watch/ listen to. By fasting you're taking a big activity in your day out of the mix. You need to replace that with something meaningful. If all you're listening to and watching is "kill that, smash that, buy that", you're replacing the empty space with garbage. Instead listen to/watch meaningful, uplifting and, yes, holy things.
4. Put Jesus in your fast. Fill what would have been your meal times with a "Jesusy" activity, such as reading your Bible, praying, listening to sermons and gospel music, volunteering, healing the sick, or raising the dead. If you're not doing Jesusy things while you fast, you're not really fasting, you're just choosing not to eat.
5. Decide what type of fast you're doing. Then, stick to the rules you set. When I first started fasting sometimes I would see something like an apple that I really wanted. So, I'd tell myself, "Okay, I'm doing a fruit only fast" and I'd eat the apple. Then I'd see a cookie and I'd say "Okay, I'm doing a "no meat fast." Then I'd see some chicken....and you get the drift. Once you make one exception, it gets easier to keep making exceptions.
6. Alternatives. If fasting from food is a real problem for you, for example if you have a health problem or a lifestyle that demands constant eating (i.e. you're a competitive eater or an athlete) examine your life and look for something that is a huge stumbling block in your faith walk. During your fasting period, completely cut that thing out of your life.
7. Pray, pray again, and then pray some more. Pray before you fast for the strength to carry out your fast and for God's guidiance through your fast. While you're fasting, continue praying for endurance and for a meaningful life change. If you're fasting to get a specific thing, remember to pray for that request. Finally, pray before you break your fast. Thank God for carrying you through the fast.
Thoughts?
i enjoyed this, thank you sister Emi. it helped me as a guideline for this next week of fasting we'll be entering
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