A First Fast

Week 30, Monday

Liz Traylor

When you give . . . when you pray . . . when you fast. Matthew 6:2,5,16

Give—yes. Pray—sure. Fast? You’ve got to be kidding! Go without food? No way. I have a thousand things to do today and I need my energy. Besides, I can’t stand being hungry. I get cranky. I can talk to God with a full stomach just as well as with an empty one. No. I can’t. I won’t. You can’t make me!

As badly as I hate to admit it, those were my thoughts the first time I considered fasting as a personal spiritual discipline. The very idea of denying myself sustenance seemed so drastic, so radical.

Why does everything in me rebel against the concept of fasting? Because I am selfish.

Notice how many times personal pronouns were involved in my contemplation. I don’t want to fast because it’s uncomfortable, it’s inconvenient, it’s . . . well, you get the idea.

Then one day as I was reading the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5–7), I realized something disconcerting. Jesus presumes I will fast. Not if I fast—when I fast.

Did any woman in His audience that day balk at the idea of depriving herself of nourishment to devote herself to God? I hope not, but since there probably was at least one female sitting there with a heart like mine, I’m sure she wanted to wail in protest.

So, there I was, faced with Jesus’ matter-of-fact statement and the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Would I obey? Not until I got desperate for God. Not until I faced a monumental life challenge and needed His direction more than I needed anything else. Then I gave up a meal.

As I prayed and read the Bible instead of funneling food into my mouth, I learned a valuable lesson. Fasting equals focus. Every hunger pang reminded me to give my full attention to the Lord Jesus Christ. He has always been there, but now He was present, almost as if I could touch Him.

I finally understood what Jesus meant in Matthew 6:25 when He asked, “Is not life more important than food?” The answer is yes.

Father, may I always desire You more than any physical thing in my universe. Amen.