Disciplined Desires

When was the last time you fasted? Why? What was your experience with it?

Lent is a season of repentance and fasting in anticipation of and preparation for remembering and celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus. Fasting can be seriously misunderstood and misapplied. It can become something that crushes us with insecurity, or puffs us up with pride. It can be something that takes our eyes away from Jesus and focuses them on ourselves. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. If we didn’t do things that could possibly be abused or misunderstood, we wouldn’t do anything at all. Acts of charity, prayer, bible reading, mission trips, going to church; all of these can just as easily become distorted if not done in faith. Jesus expected us to fast when he said that his disciples would not fast when he – the bridegroom – was with him, but that when he left, they would fast. (Luke 5:35)

So, what are some of the reasons to fast? Much could be said about this, and if you’re looking for more, one great treatment of the subject is John Piper’s book A Hunger for God. But I want to very briefly highlight some of the joys and opportunities present in fasting – particularly those that I have experienced during seasons of fasting.

1. Fasting develops a hunger for God and his Kingdom. This is especially crucial for us as we live in a society where we have everything we want and more, on command. Chief among the temptations of our culture are those of comfort, gluttony, consumerism. It is so easy for us to forget God, as it says in Proverbs 30:8-9 – “Feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say ‘Who is the Lord?’” Our appetites,whether for literal food, or for other pleasures and comforts like TV, social media,shopping therapy, etc., can dominate our vision and thoughts, and prevent us from focusing our attention and our desires on Jesus. Fasting changes that.
2. Fasting helps us fight sin. The New Testament is full of warnings to Christians about the seductive dangers of sin in our lives. Judgment for sin is covered by the blood of the cross, but that doesn’t mean sin in our lives can’t blind us and others to the Gospel, or cause destruction in our lives and in our community. Temptation is so powerful because it seizes our desires. James highlights this when he gives us a window into how sin works in our lives – “each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15) Our desires will control us and toss us about and kill us if we don’t develop the ability to have mastery – in Christ and by the power of the Spirit – over our desires, both good and bad. Fasting helps develop mastery over desire – and thus mastery over sin patterns and temptations. As I develop the ability to say “no” to what I want in the moment, I learn to say “no” when the opportunity for sin appears, when Satan whispers suggestions in my ear.
3. Fasting unites us as a church. It’s hard to do something difficult alone. But if you’ve ever done or gone through something difficult with others, you know the feeling of unity it brings. Moving together towards a shared goal, especially when the road is difficult, brings people together. To the extent that your fasting practice is shared in some way with other believers, you are being knit together in a common mission of self denial for the purpose of enjoying God. It also is a great way to support each other in our spiritual discipline – “I too am fasting, and with God’s help we can both do this!”
4. Fasting prepares us to feast. Have you ever been on vacation and eaten out a lot, or eaten a lot of rich foods and desserts? By the end, I feel kind of heavy, gross, and saturated. I have the opposite experience when I’ve been backpacking or camping. After days of wilderness food, returning to a rich feast brings me joy and gratitude. Even things that I normally wouldn’t think much of just taste better and feel luxurious when I eat them in the wilderness. The same is true of fasting. Denying ourselves our every impulse and fancy for a time can prepare us to taste and see not only that the Lord is good, but that his gifts are good. And this reminds us of what is so often forgotten in our thinking about fasting – feasting is the goal of fasting. We don’t deny ourselves because the goal is self denial – we deny ourselves so that we can enter into joy in a fuller, richer way.

If I were to summarize, I would say that what fasting does is transform us – it makes us more like Jesus. If you don’t have a practice of fasting – Jesus loves you! But I invite you to consider taking on regular fasting practices, and perhaps even starting during this season of Lent. Not because Jesus will like you more, or to make yourself better than others, but because, when done with a foundation of Christ’s righteousness and love, fasting will develop in you a greater love for the things of God, and will prepare you to more deeply enjoy the Easter feast.

Scott Limkeman