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The purpose of Lent is to open our hearts to God's refining grace through prayer and fasting for the period before Easter. 

MARK 8:34

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

While culture tells us to pursue our desires, Christ calls us to deny ourselves. Every day, we are shaped by messages from media, advertising, and social norms, pulling us toward the way of the world. We must intentionally resist these influences.

One of the primary ways to break the pull of our desires is through fasting. Jesus said in Mark 2:20, “The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.” Notice he doesn’t say, they might fast, nor did he command it, but he expected fasting to be part of being his follower.  

The most traditional form of fasting is going without food, a practice seen in the life of Jesus and throughout Christian history. But Lent is not limited to food — we can also abstain from other things. These may be sinful things, but often they are neutral or even some good things that have a strong pull on our desires. 

Consider what God is inviting you to fast for Lent this year to weaken the pull of your sinful nature and become more open to God’s work in you.

Here are some questions to discern what Lent could look like for you: 

1. Pray and invite the Holy Spirit to show you what he wants you to abstain from: 

    • What is something that takes a lot of my mental real estate?
    • What do I find myself thinking about when I have nothing to think about?
    • What do I go to when I have had a hard or a bad day? 

2. Ask God how much he wants you to abstain. This could be a partial fast (for example, only after 7 PM or on certain days) or a complete fast for the whole season. Note, some lent fasts will pause the fast on sabbaths, others keep it going the whole season. 

3. Ask God what he wants you to fill your time and thoughts with instead of those things. Maybe he is inviting you to take nightly prayer walks, read through the New Testament, or serve those in need.

4. Who can you tell to keep you accountable and to encourage you? We are built for community. You may consider talking about this with your Life Group if you are a part of one. 

 

 Tips from Practicing the Way

  • In your dedicated times of prayer, or each time a hunger pain comes, you may want to pray Romans 12:1-2, or simply, “God, I offer my body to you in worship. Please transform me.” 
  • As you go about your day — your morning commute, caregiving, email, errands — just enjoy God’s company and attempt to open your heart to him all through the day.


Practical Tips for Fasting Food

  1. Drink tons of water to stay hydrated (unless you choose to do a total fast, no food or water). 
  2. If you normally drink coffee to wake up, you may want to still have coffee to avoid a caffeine headache, but just have it black. Coffee is mostly water and will not keep your body from entering the fasting state. 
  3. The more time you can give to prayer and reflection, and the less busy you are, the better. Make it your goal to slow down the day you fast, and be present to your body and God as much as you possibly can. You may want to find a park on your lunch break or take a few short walks throughout your day. Give as much attention to God as is doable. 
  4. Resist the urge to judge your experience. Release thoughts like, “I liked it; I disliked it.” “I felt close to God; I didn’t feel close to God.” Just let the experience of fasting be what it is, and offer it to God in love.