Intro to Fasting in the Empire of Plenty
“For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
-Romans 14:17
Whether we notice or not, we are constantly being trained to hunger for more: better, craftier food and drink, the most unique Airbnb or travel adventure, or even a more authentic spiritual community or theology. It’s easy to busy ourselves day after day chasing these things, exhausting ourselves for them, hoping that if we put in enough sincere effort, we’ll be able to sustain a sense of peace and satisfaction. Our Babylon is an empire of abundance and many of us enjoy the privilege of seemingly limitless options for fulfillment. We live on the top of this empire, which we call the greatest nation on earth.
Throughout church history, God’s people have welcomed the 40 days before Easter as a time to pull away from the appetites of the world. Before performing a single miracle or announcing his kingdom, Jesus vanished for 40 days into an empty desert. The same Holy Spirit that led him to this empty place invites us to go there with him now.
“Fasting is an opportunity to lay down an appetite - an appetite for food, for media, for shopping,” writes Adele Calhoun in the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook. “This act of self-denial may not seem huge - it’s just a meal or a trip to the mall - but it brings us face to face with the hunger at the core of our being. Fasting exposes how we try to keep empty hunger at bay and gain a sense of well-being by devouring creature comforts. Through self-denial we recognize what controls us.”
Through the Lenten fast, we can experience the reality that we do not live on the empire’s bread alone, but “on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” To experience this reality requires us to make a daunting decision: to give up for a season something we may feel we can’t live without. Through this self-denial, we give God the opportunity to fill that empty space in us. Fasting drives us from our theoretical ideals about spiritual life into the very concrete realm of our bodies where the Holy Spirit lives deep inside us.
Guidance for fasting
Many traditional church cultures refrain from specific foods throughout Lent or take specific days to abstain from eating entirely. It’s important to take your health into account if you’re thinking of making a radical change to your eating habits during this season. Food is not the only appetite you can set aside for the fast - maybe digital media, political news or some other form of entertainment or distraction is preventing you from having the inner space you need to clear for God’s Spirit.
Some questions to ask yourself:
Where do you have the worst hunger for immediate fulfillment or fear of missing out? What do you do compulsively to either distract yourself from this fear or try to fulfill it?
Is there a mental or physical habit, a food, drink or experience that you are constantly or compulsively drawn toward? Examples: Snacks, alcohol, sugar, TV, online media.
How could your life look different if you refrained from this habit for the next six weeks?
Are there any things you feel God may be moving you to focus on that you feel you don’t have time/energy for?
What to do in the Time Set Apart for Fasting
Bring your Bible and a glass of water during your fast.
Spend some time worshiping God for his faithfulness. Thank him for where he has come through for you. Psalm 103:1 – 5 also provides a starting point for praise.
Bring your desires to God. Ask him if this desire is in line with his will and his word for you and the church. Be still and listen. Offer your desires and prayers to God.
Source: Fasting: A Practical Guide – Visit this article for more background on fasting in scripture and guidance on specifically fasting from food.
Resources & Practices for Lent 2024
Join us for prayer, scripture reading, and reflection on Monday mornings during the season of Lent. Meetings will take place online at 7 a.m. on Mondays Feb. 19 through March 25. To join this group, email prayer@watermarktampa.com.
For additional guidance on fasting during Lent, see see our Ash Wednesday Homily.
You can also follow the global church’s weekly Lenten Season Liturgy with our Lent Prayer & Liturgy Calendar.
For guidance on spiritual practices, see Spiritual Disciplines Handbook.