In my last post, I talked a lot about my Lenten journey of fasting.

However, this is not out of the ordinary for me; I actually fast quite a bit. It is one of my spiritual disciplines. Interestingly, I have met many people who exclaim that “Fasting is NOT one of their spiritual disciples” or “Fasting is NOT for them; they need to eat” as if fasting is an easy, enjoyable thing[1]. The truth is that many people dismiss fasting before they even get to know it.

I know fasting. In fact, we are kind of like BFFs. The kind of friend that you’ve known forever and enjoy spending time with, even if sometimes their company is taxing. The kind of friend that may not be the easiest companion, but you love them; I love fasting. But this love is not the kind of love that I have for my real life best friends or my cat or for cooking. It’s more like the kind of love that I have for doing laundry that has accumulated for a month or ripping off a band-aid on a hairy part of my arm; I love it because it needs to be done and once it’s over, I am free. I love fasting because it gives me a great sense of freedom and yet, at the same time, makes me completely dependent on God. In every way, I hunger. When I’m past the point of hunger, when my stomach feels like it’s eating itself from the inside out, I am acutely aware of my hunger for God. I dive head first into other spiritual disciplines like reading/ listening to the Bible, and I am way more aware of God’s presence. During the course of a day, I spend more time communing with God than I do anything else. I love fasting, not because I love feeling hungry or sick to my stomach, but because I love being close to my Father.

Because fasting has so many spiritual benefits, I urge you to try it. Get to know fasting; invite it into your home. Maybe just invite it over for lunch or dinner the first time and let your love for it grow. Try starting with a six hour or eight hour fast and work your way up to a whole day. Or just jump right into a relationship with fasting, like I did.

I was first exposed to fasting when I was in college. At the time, I was going to a church in which the pastor invited the whole congregation to fast for Good Friday in which the fast would be broken by communion around the table with other fasting (and non-fasting) believers. It changed my life. I was hooked.

So here is my challenge: Work your way up over this Lenten season or just jump right in and fast for the 24 hours before communion on Good Friday or Maundy Thursday[2]. If you seek God in your fasting, I believe you will find him…in a big way!

Blessings,

Gabby

[1] Like going for a walk on a 40 degree day in February.

[2] or the next time your church celebrates communion