Fasting: The Battle Between Spirit and Flesh
In America, we live in a convenience bubble where the tap of a phone can get you what you want. This is one of many reasons why fasting can seem so off-putting. Committing to it is far from easy, especially when our bodies cry out for the opposite. But we must remind ourselves that our relationship with Jesus is not about our comfort—it is about the love, goodness, and joy that stems from our connection with Him, and that connection comes at a cost to the secular eye.
The Intrinsic Purpose of Fasting
Fasting is created as a battle between spirit and flesh, something we must constantly challenge. In the words of Saint Basil the Great, “Fasting gives birth to prophets; it strengthens the powerful. Fasting makes lawmakers wise. It is a safeguard of a soul, a stabilizing companion to the body, a weapon for the brave, a discipline for champions. Fasting knocks over temptations, anoints for godliness. It is a companion of sobriety, the crafter of a sound mind.”
With fasting comes tranquility, bravery, or wisdom, but the ultimate goal of fasting is to get in touch with our hunger for God. This is taught to us repeatedly throughout the Bible, directly and indirectly.
Biblical Application
Prior to Jesus entering his earthly ministry, He fasted for forty days—a seemingly impossible feat to many. Throughout his ministry, He mentions the importance of fasting like in the following verses:
Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.”
Matthew 6:16-18: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Jesus makes a point of showing us the benefits of fasting and how it can provide the most profound connection to God.
Practical Application
Think about this: how often do you view your hunger as the hunger to do the will of God? Very often, we allow our appetite for food, fame, status, sex, or the need for an escape to overpower our desires when it should be about what God wants for our lives.
After years of observing the lessons from Christ himself, many of His followers dedicated the rest of their lives to inviting people to follow His path after Jesus had ascended. They taught these lessons so that we may understand how valuable something like fasting is. Withholding this fuel (in a healthy way that is best for your circumstances) we are wired to crave puts us in a severe state of want. In turn, it has the power to awaken our body and soul to its deep longing for a life with God. In the end, He will always satisfy.
