In Defense of Fasting

In defense of fasting

Starve yourself sometimes; it’s good for you. Starve yourself is harsh. What I mean is denial serves a good purpose. Fasting is good for the soul.

This past Sunday, I preached on fasting. A few weeks ago, there was a conversation about the “Biblical” form of fasting. In scripture, fasting is almost always seen in regards with food (there’s a brief spot in 1 Cor. 7 where Paul talks about couples abstaining from sex). I, however, contend that it is acceptable to have a nontraditional view of fasting. Given where we are in this world and time, it is not inappropriate to think beyond what we have known historically. 

In Luke 6, we see something. Jesus and his disciples were hungr,, so they picked some grain to eat. The Pharisees chastised him for working on the Sabbath. After that, he healed a man, and again, they chastised him. Jesus declares himself the Lord of the Sabbath. 

Jesus’ main point here is the spirit of the law vs. the letter of the law. The Pharisees were so caught up in “getting it right” that they missed the entire purpose of the gift,, which is rest. They take this concept of rest and delight in God to mean they can’t do anything. To this day, if you go into some Jewish neighborhoods, you will find non-Jewish people who are paid to push the button on the elevator, so they don’t have to do that “work.”

This is my why—Spirit vs. letter. No one today would tell you that you must observe the Sabbath on a specific day at a specific time in a specific way. We look at the Sabbath, take the principle of rest and delight in God, and run with it. 

Can we take a similar view with fasting? The first question we must ask is why? Why do we fast? To draw closer to God.

Are there things we are so tethered to that it is causing disconnection from God? Things we should…fast….from. 

Science catching up with Scripture is always fun. We are dopamine-addicted people. Watch this video from the neuroscientist Andrew Huberman. While it’s not spiritual, I don’t think it’s accidental that he uses the language of fasting here: 7:14-9:00

The constant consumption of the modern day keeps us distracted, unfocused, and unable to see God. 

Mirrors

We become what we look at. Fasting is an opportunity to turn away from what we’re looking at and look at God. In scripture, fasting is never just for the sake of denial; it is for greater connection and deeper intimacy with the Father. 

This is why I take the nontraditional stance of going beyond food. Back then, they didn’t have WiFi, the NBA trade deadline (LUKA TO THE LAKERS), or an endless stream of media to consume their hearts and minds. 

Fasting is about curbing the consumption so we may see the glorious one and draw closer to him. 

I say all of this while still saying that fasting from food is important. It is the only kind of fast that calls us to turn away from our basic survival instincts. We don’t need social media, video games, and phones to survive, but we do need food. There is something special about denying yourself survival and the mental and physical effects of doing so that can and will open us to God in its own special way. 

My encouragement today is simple: to expand our thinking. Historically, fasting has been about abstaining from food because it was a primary distraction, but in our modern context, the distractions are coming from a million different corners in a million different ways. It's time to reconsider fasting as a broader spiritual practice that goes beyond just food to include anything that draws our attention away from God.

I live in the fitness space. Fasting is popular there. Some people routinely do 72-hour fasts with no problem but can’t put their phones down. For that person, which type of fast is more likely to transform their relationship with God?

The ultimate purpose of fasting is not to adhere to rules or dogma but to create space for a deeper relationship with God. By stepping away from the things that dominate our attention—whether it be food, technology, or other distractions—we allow ourselves to reorient our hearts toward God.

That’s the goal here. 

Fasting is a matter of discipline, and discipline is a feature of identity. It answers the question: can we turn away from pleasures for a time so that we can focus on God? It is solidifying our identities so that we remember not just who we are but whose we are. Children of the King. His beloved. 

As we discipline our desires and curb consumption, we are engaging in an active process of identity formation, where we are choosing to identify with Christ over our own fleeting impulses. The Christ who denied himself first so that we might live. 

Fasting can be a powerful rhythm in our lives if we intentionally make space for it, whether food or other distractions. It is a unique opportunity to pull away from the things that may be hindering us so we can know God more richly and deeply. 

Don’t leave this gift behind.