Fasting | Hunger for change
Series: Simple. Quiet. Present. | Bible text: Romans 7:15–25
In the biblical sense, fasting is a spiritual path of devotion that brings us forward in sanctification and ruthlessly exposes our self-centredness. It shows how strongly we are driven by the pleasure principle and by ourselves, and leads us precisely in this weakness to the liberating grace of Jesus Christ. Fasting not only changes our behaviour, but also our desires by refocusing us on God. The goal is not self-optimisation, but worship: a conscious renunciation that teaches us that man needs more than bread – namely life from God’s word.
As I said, I’m quite new to fasting. But fasting is widely documented in the Bible. People fasted for various reasons. Moses fasted for 40 days and nights, met God there and received the law (Exodus 34:28). King David fasted out of repentance, intercession and mourning for his sick child (2 Samuel 12:16). Elijah was at the end of his tether. After God had strengthened him with food, he fasted for 40 days (1 Kings 19:8). Daniel prayed and fasted. He repented and fasted for knowledge (Daniel 9:3). Queen Esther fasted to avert a life-threatening situation (Esther 4:16). Nehemiah sought God’s guidance for his task through fasting (Nehemiah 1:4). Ezra fasted for protection and guidance from God (Ezra 8:21–23). The inhabitants of Nineveh fasted as a sign of repentance and conversion (Jonah 3:5–10). Jesus fasted in preparation for his ministry (Matthew 4:1–2). The early church also fasted for guidance from the Holy Spirit and to make decisions (Acts 13:2–3; 14:23).
Fasting for personal sanctification
Whilst researching fasting, I came across a thread that links personal sanctification with fasting. I even believe that all fasting served the purpose of personal sanctification. The church father Augustin formulates it as follows: «Fasting is necessary so that even in licit pleasures the lust of the flesh is restrained, so that it does not break out into illicit ones» (Augustine of Hippo).
Sanctification means a change towards God. In the biblical sense, holy means set apart, consecrated. If something is holy, it means that it has a special purpose. When we progress in sanctification, this means becoming more and more like the will of God. St Paul writes: «Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, new things have come into being» (2 Corinthians 5:17 LUT). The strength and power for this is the acceptance of and through Jesus Christ.
Such verses also leave a certain tension. Followers of Jesus are a new creature, and yet not everything is perfect. The same Paul writes: «I don’t understand myself, because I want to do what is good with all my heart and yet I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I actually hate» (Romans 7:15 NLB). In the new creature, the old is no longer dominant. Through Jesus Christ, I gain access to this transforming power. On the other hand, I do what I actually hate.
The letter to the Romans, especially here, repeatedly speaks of the flesh. This refers to the carnal nature. Whereby this does not mean matter, but the human tendency not to put God first, but to do something good for the best. This makes it clear that I cannot fight against my carnal nature with my willpower (Romans 7:18). God made Jesus to sin, i.e. to miss the mark, so that we can have access to God. «For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness that is before God» (2 Corinthians 5:22 LUT).
Fasting confronts us relentlessly with our self-centredness
This leads us to the second point, that fasting confronts us relentlessly with our self-centredness. I fasted for the first time almost a fortnight ago. I skipped breakfast and lunch and replaced them with time with God. When I got home that evening, I found myself shouting at our eldest son Hosea like never before! That evening I went to the gym and heard a very pastoral sermon on fasting – some of which has been incorporated here. I suddenly realised that I had this outburst not in spite of fasting, but because of fasting.
I didn’t have this outburst because fasting doesn’t work, but because it does. I didn’t have this outburst because I was hungry and everyone reacts like that. But because fasting brings to light how much is necessary for me to be «a good person». Fasting led me to the point where I realised «what a miserable person» I am. So I can’t help but agree with Paul’s question: «[…] Who will deliver me from this body of death» (Romans 7:24 LUT).
Now we have/had reached the point where a part of me was revealed. On the one hand, I am the nice man, cheerful, sociable with everyone, often laughing. On the other hand, I’m the one who shouts at his children and treats them unlovingly. That’s me! Who are you? Today there is a great tendency to minimise the negative aspects of our ego. You may think: «Your behaviour is completely normal, that doesn’t mean you’re bad.» But this is in me! If you minimise the evil in my life, what about your life? Attention. I’m not saying you’re evil! But I’m not saying you’re good either! Both are in us. On the one hand, we are less good than we pretend to be, and on the other, we are much more evil than we can imagine.
But this is where the beauty of the gospel comes out. On the one hand, it is openly communicated that you are capable of much more evil than you think! On the other hand, you are wonderfully made, a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Both are true! Only when I get to this point do I realise that there is a big question! Who will deliver me from this body of death? This tricky situation. It is not to be found in myself as in the various podcasts, series, films, novels, strategies etc.! But rather «Thanks be to God: Jesus Christ, our Lord! […]» (Romans 7:25 NLB).
The driving force in our lives is self-centredness, which manifests itself in two things. On the one hand, that I am so good and live so well that people and God must love me. The motive behind this is fear. I am afraid of not looking good. Fear of failing. Fear of not being enough. Fear of not having enough. Fear is a driving motivator. Fear is nothing other than self-centredness. On the other hand, I give free rein to evil and do whatever I want. The motive behind this is rebellion. Nobody tells me what I have to do. No one knows what it’s like to be me. Nobody can imagine that … I’m just like that! Both are self-centredness!
What fasting does
This is where fasting comes in. It helps us to fight against our self-centredness. It is only fasting in the biblical sense if the aim is to surrender to God and worship him. If the focus is on the many positive health effects, losing weight, etc., then the focus is wrong, and that’s not what I mean by fasting. The goal is to progress in sanctification. That I live more and more according to the will of God. Fasting does four things to help us progress in our sanctification, in setting ourselves apart for and towards God. «[…] You shall be holy, because I, the LORD your God, am holy» (Leviticus 19:2 NLB). It is about becoming more like Jesus.
Firstly, fasting fights against our pleasure principle. Behind eating lies an even deeper desire, it is the pleasure principle. This is our actual drive: I do what I feel like doing. Nowadays we confuse pleasure with joy. Good things in the short term bring great harm in the long term. Things that are not fun in the short term produce good things in the long term.
Secondly, it reveals what is in your heart. Fasting shows me how weak we are and how much we are driven by the pleasure principle. It shows how much we need other things to be happy. It shows us where we do something good for the best. Right here, in our weakness, it drives us into the loving, open arms of Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, it changes our desires. As fasting fights against the pleasure principle, it also helps me against my self-centredness. By consciously spending time with God in fasting and feeling my dependence on him in my own body, what is important to me changes.
Fourthly, it uses the power of God to overcome sin. Fasting promotes self-control and self-discipline. Self-control means not doing something I don’t want to do. Self-discipline means doing something I don’t want to do. Is this not a contradiction? No, because I exercise control in the simpler area of eating and invite God to help me in the larger areas (addiction, self-worth, character change). By always fasting for something!
That’s why I’m not just talking about fasting over a longer period of time, but also about fasting as an integral part of my week! I replace the time spent eating and procuring food with encounters with God. The aim is always to worship God – not to worship my ability to go without food. It is a conscious renunciation of basic needs that expresses: «[…] Man needs more than just bread to live. He also lives from every word that comes from the mouth of God» (Matthew 4:4 NLB).
Possible questions for the small group
Read the Bible text: Romans 7:15–25
- What does fasting mean to you personally – and what does it trigger in you?
- Where do you notice in your everyday life that self-centredness or the pleasure principle shape your thoughts and actions?
- Where do you experience the tension between the desire to follow God and the experience of your own weakness or contradictions?
- Have you already experienced that spiritual times (e.g. prayer, silence, fasting) have revealed hidden sides of your heart? How did you deal with this?
- How can you tell whether your spiritual life is characterised more by devotion or by performance and self-optimisation?
- What desires, habits or inner drivers do you want God to change or realign in you?
- What could be a concrete next step for you to consciously give up something in order to create more space for God?
