“Loving” Fasting

On another thread Greg posted some maxims for Christian living from St. Benedict.

One of those was "to love fasting”

I made the comment "I assume by "love” he meant willing to do it. If a person truly loves fasting it sort of defeats the purpose.”

Greg replied:

"I think he would mean to allow it to be enjoyable rather then a suffering. Fasting is a means to an end. Not an end in itself.”

I wanted to start a new thread because I thought it was worthy of further discussion.

I am not sure I disagree with Greg’s comment. I agree with it on the level that we should be willing to fast- perhaps even look forward to it- but I don’t think we should love the process because fasting is supposed to make your flesh sting and not be something you would enjoy- in other words you are supposed to suffer.

Good point- which is exactly why this is a tad difficult.

People don’t fast often because it costs them too much. Many love the idea of fasting but when the rubber hits the road fasting does (and should) hurt our flesh.

"For the joy set before him he endured the cross…” Heb. 12:2

We should have the same attitude toward a fast.

Jesus did not enjoy being brutally tortured. His joy was in the outcome not the process.

Matt 6:16 "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you

The Old Testament commands to fast can be translated with the words "afflict yourself" Numbers 29:7. In Jesus' era, it seems some religious leaders made a point to do this very publicly. Scholars suggest the Pharisees fasted two days every week. Jesus says in this verse they disfigured their faces in some way and looked "gloomy" to make sure that everyone who saw them knew they were fasting.

People saw them, understood they were fasting yet again, and gave them credit for being highly devout. Jesus says here that human approval is the only reward attention-seekers will receive for their fasting. Since their effort was not about God, God will not respond or reward them for it.

When I read "love fasting" - love to afflict yourself - I think Pharisee - someone taking credit for being highly devout.

Then again when I see a monk or a Nun - I think religious asceticism no different than the Pharisee.

Good point Colin.

Perhaps he meant "love to be willing to fast.”

I don't know too many people that look forward to the "actual" fast (that's like looking forward to a colonoscopy). LOL

In fasting, I, personally, don't look forward to the stomach growling or headaches or the hunger pains but I certainly look forward to any and all answers I'm seeking; (or loving) any results I may receive from my time spent with my Father and the Holy Spirit!

Receiving the fruit of our labor. Maybe that's what they mean?

God bless us all as we go into 2022!!

I believe that many of us enjoy disciplines in life. It may not be fasting but climbing a mountain is one example. We want the challenge. We still use the same will power to endure, I believe, and it's a pleasing thing to discipline yourself.

The end result are of stories that last for years.

There's lots of disciplines in the new testament. Like taking thoughts captive. The fact hardly anyone does it and sees it through to completion is where Christianity is at in this point in history.

(For me) fasting (not just food) is necessary in this world both as preventative as well as a remedy-

Much like barnacles on the hull of a vessel require a proper action to remove, so too are the "things of this world” that accumulate through repeated exposure and impede our spiritual abilities/effectiveness.

With the world bent on stimulating the flesh, it’s an inevitable practice to maintain a tenderness towards the Lord, not being hardened nor lured by the iniquity round about us.

(For me) fasting is always done with the means of replacing that thing/time with seeking the Lords face intentionally. Deliberately starving those voices/thoughts so as to see/hear Him more clearly.

In the world I wake up in, there are innumerable images to imitate and voices to repeat and each are competing for attention/actuation. In every instance I yield to them I am being conformed Into the image of the world-
In every instance where I resist, and in turn intentionally direct my attention to the Lord, I am being conformed into the image of the son. For me, fasting is essential and therefore inevitable to a profitable spiritual life, else the cares and concerns of the world will consume more and more of my time/attention 🤷🏽”â™‚️

I think we have to go back to the purpose of fasting. Fasting puts down the flesh, perhaps we could say disciplines the flesh, for the purpose of the spirit having ascendency in our lives. When we fast, we replace physical food for spiritual food. We choose to eat the bread of prayer and of the word of God in place of feeding our body natural food. The result of this is usually twofold.

1. Our body rebels and we have a battle with the physical and even soulish parts of us. This is naturally unpleasant. This is the part we don's "enjoy".

2. Our spirit comes more alive to His Spirit. We usually experience His presence in a fresh way. We see an increase in our ability to hear from God. This bring great joy. Who doesn't love it when they have an open line of communication with God and hear His voice clearly right?

So fasting, for me anyway, is not suffering at all. It is hard on my flesh, but it is not really anything like true suffering.

//So fasting, for me anyway, is not suffering at all. It is hard on my flesh, but it is not really anything like true suffering.//

I think this is a good distinction. True suffering is imposed upon us, generally out of our control. There are exceptions to this- for example if a person is suffering because of persecution the person may be able to end the suffering by capitulating.

It may be safe to say that fasting prepares us for true suffering.

Your flesh is like an unbroken horse. Just know for the first while your flesh is it going to buck and snort and not be happy. Just as a horse wont buck forever neither will your flesh. I would assume anybody that enjoys fasting is referring to the outcome of fasting.

Here's a good article on fasting from One for Israel, called Why Does Fasting Work?

https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/why-does-fasting-work/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAoNWOBhCwARIsAAiHnEh2QH497-c7f__HeZZlZx-_iV66p27-w2Vhg_kt4s_E_3EhyzurzpAaAqqdEALw_wcB