Thoughts on Fasting

So Lent is coming and everyone's probably at least thinking about fasting, even if they aren't planning on doing it. There are the food fasters who usually just restrict their diets in some way--the Daniel fast, or going off of sugar or going off of meat... and then there are those who simply give up something they like, such as coffee or facebook. 

So we tend to think of fasting as giving something up, going without something for a while, and using that as a reminder to give our attention to God instead.

My Bible has been open to Isaiah 58 for the past couple of weeks because much of it is about fasting--but not exactly the kind we usually think of.

So the Israelites were getting all proud about their fasting:

²     Yet they act so pious!
They come to the Temple every day
    and seem delighted to learn all about me.
They act like a righteous nation
    that would never abandon the laws of its God.
They ask me to take action on their behalf,
    pretending they want to be near me.
³ ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.
    ‘Why aren’t you impressed?
We have been very hard on ourselves,
    and you don’t even notice it!’

They wondered what the deal was. They were being SO SACRIFICIAL. 

As it turns out, the problem was they weren't doing it for God at all:

“I will tell you why!” I respond.
    “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.
Even while you fast,
    you keep oppressing your workers.
⁴ What good is fasting
    when you keep on fighting and quarreling?
This kind of fasting
    will never get you anywhere with me.
⁵ You humble yourselves
    by going through the motions of penance,
bowing your heads
    like reeds bending in the wind.
You dress in burlap
    and cover yourselves with ashes.
Is this what you call fasting?
    Do you really think this will please the Lord?

 This problem was addressed by Jesus, too.

¹⁶ “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. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ 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.

-Matthew 6:16-18

If this was a problem both in the Old and New Testaments, it's probably still hiding around persistently in our attitudes today. Do we make too big of a deal out of our lenten fasting, talking about what we're giving up?

On the one hand, it seems like a casual conversation topic, not bragging, but maybe even getting our brothers and sisters in Christ to support us?

On the other hand, are we doing the fasting because it's the thing to do and not for God?

I'm not saying that's what's going on. But it's something to watch out for, and check ourselves and our motives.

So what kind of fasting DOES God want, going back to the Isaiah passage? Obviously not something showy. 

 

⁶ “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
    lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
    and remove the chains that bind people.
⁷ Share your food with the hungry,
    and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
    and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

 BAM!!

"but I thought fasting was about giving something up," you say, pouting, while wondering if maybe this means you CAN be on Facebook during lent after all but actually those things are pretty hard so maybe you'll stick with giving up facebook anway--

Yes, yes, these are hard. Because you're GIVING UP things that might profit you at the expense of others. You're GIVING UP your time and GIVING UP your effort for something that doesn't directly improve your life. GIVING UP your sanity to help out the Sackville-Bagginses when they come calling instead of pretending you're not home. 

Do I HAVE to?

You actually ARE giving something up, so it's still fasting in a sense. And it means a whole lot more to God, I think, than giving up some unnecessary part of your day because it's the time of year to do that. No, fasting from facebook or tetris or TV or whatever isn't bad. At the very least it's helping you cut down on something you might have too much of in your life. But unless you're spending that facebook time strengthening your relationship with God (chances are you're just checking your email more times), it's not really doing anyone much good. 

(This logic mostly applies to fasting other than food fasting, though meat or sugar are negligible in their necessity. Still, food in general is pretty necessary which makes it seem sort of like a stronger fast than a Netflix fast.)

Not only do acts of service benefit others, there's the whole sheep and goats thing too where when you feed the hungry, it's like you're feeding Jesus when He is in need, etc. So it has double benefits--people are blessed by God through you, and your faith is also strengthened/affirmed and all that. 

So these are just some thoughts. They aren't perfectly thought through or scholarly sounding, but perhaps you can chew on them for a bit.

Imagine that I made you a lasagna and the noodles are a bit undercooked but the nutrients are all there probably if you gnaw at it long enough though you might want to add some more seasoning and you'll eat it because I made it just for you. :)

All that said, I'm probably still going to give up tumblr for lent, not because I think it will make me dramatically more holy or that I think I'll spend more time praying (though that would be the ideal) but because I just spend too much time on there and this is a good excuse to curb the habit.