In his book Hunger for God, John Piper discusses fasting as a spiritual discipline. Most Christians approach fasting by not eating food for a period during daylight, 24 hours, or several days. Piper’s perspective resonates with me: We should fast from the blessings of creation to focus on the creator. This totally expanded my vision of what objects might need to fast. You see this tradition in the high church during Lent, but at the same time, it has been dismissed in the low church.
I like this perspective because creation can quickly become a higher priority than the creator. This is how idols get a foothold. Piper’s suggestion caused a deeper reflection of things in creation that I’m blessed with that might distract me from my walk with the Lord. Here is the list looking deeply:
- Food. I love being a foodie.
- Post Dinner Snack. I tend to be a mindless grazer.
- Social Media. It is my means of finding entertainment and news.
- Tech. I work in tech and am constantly engaged by tech.
This reminds me that Jesus spent time alone in prayer and fasting before every big decision. He even spent time fasting and in prayer before His earthly ministry began. Here are verses where we see fasting at critical times.
Matthew 4:1-2 – “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
Luke 6:12-13 – “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.”
Luke 22:39-41 – “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’ He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,”
Fasting before big decisions is also modeled in the Old Testament:
- We first see this with Moses on Mount Sinai, where he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights while receiving the Ten. (Exod 34:28)
- The Israelites fasted before going into battle. (Judg 20:26)
- Esther and the Jews fasted for three days before she approached the king to help and protect her people. (Esth 4:16)
- King Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah before going into battle. (2 Chron 20:3)
- After Jonah’s prophecy and call for repentance, the people of Nineveh fasted and focused on repentance. (Jonah 3:5-9)
Piper also challenges us to see where our allegiance is through the spiritual discipline of fasting. Are we holding too tightly to the blessing or to God? The creation or the creator? This certainly comes to a head when I am confronted with significant decisions, even as I have built the case above that there is scriptural support for them.
Piper also encourages us to maintain a posture of humility while we fast. Jesus reminds us not to seek attention and fast for self-righteous motives (Matt 6:16-18). Piper also says that we should not lash out during our fast as that might do more damage than the purpose of fasting. I lack patience when hungry and should not put my family through a “hangry” moment.
The key takeaway is, what do you spend a lot of time doing that might pull you away from the Lord and keep you from being on His mission? Or just a distraction from Kingdom work? It could be steps walking you toward the wilderness without you even seeing it.
