Fasting and prayer (CC)

[Hedgehog]

Yesterday, I decided to do a 24hr fast. I'd never done it before (me.. go without my food?!?) but recently I'd felt compelled? called? to do so. When I felt hungry, I prayed for strength; it wasn't anywhere near as difficult as I'd expected. I was feeling a bit light-headed by the end of the day, but I was okay.

 

Has anyone else fasted? Particularly from a religious perspective? I'd love to hear your experiences, opinions, reasons..

 

Thanks!

[TheCoffeeChick]

I have fasted before, not for religious reasons, but for kick starting a diet. I feel it helps curb my appetite before I start reducing calories. :)

 

I'm glad you found strength in prayer and felt it wasn't so bad to do. My grandparents-in-law fast one day a week for their church and try to donate the money they would have spent on food to a food bank at their church.

[praisefor3]

I fasted for 24 hours when I was on Outward Bound years ago. I haven't done a complete fast since. I would only fast now if I felt the Lord leading me to do that. I'm weak and it would be miserable unless I felt called to do so. :) I do believe that if you are doing it for spiritual reasons then it should be a God-led thing and not just something you are doing to prove your faith, etc. My friend is doing the Daniel fast right now. I had never heard of it but if you google it you'll find info on it. It has been very good for her.

[UmMusa]

Yes, I fast each year during Ramadan (I know this was CC but you asked if anyone's fasted before). We fast from dawn to sunset. Let me just say that doing it for the sake of God makes it do-able. It's not the same feeling as going for a long stretch between lunch and dinner with nothing to eat and feeling starving! I get up a bit before sunrise to eat a protein rich meal, to drink water, and to have my coffee. Like you said, too, praying for strength and patience helps. My biggest challenge is not so much being hungry, it's losing energy during the day.

 

Also, knowing that fasting is cleansing for the body in that it shakes up the normal routine is nice to know. Your organs rest a lot more, especially during the day, and there are other benefits too. Of course it does also make you realize the blessings of the bounty you have. Keep it up!

[Chris in VA]

Religious fasting here. I'm not very good at it, but I've done it. It does focus me and strips away the superficial. God gets my attention and I have to depend on him when I fast.

[Hedgehog]

Yes, I fast each year during Ramadan (I know this was CC but you asked if anyone's fasted before).....

 

I only marked it CC because the original post had Christian content.. anyone can answer and I'd love to hear about more experiences..

 

It's really interesting to me because I'm new to it and I don't know of anyone IRL who fasts. The "Muslim" friends I had at university didn't keep the Ramadan fasts strictly.. and besides, that's quite a long time ago now. No-one in my church fasts for any reason, as far as I know.

[Xuzi]

I'm LDS, and the first Sunday of every month is Fast Sunday, where we Fast for at least two meals, and the money we would spend on those meals is given to the Bishop to help the needy members of our congregation. That's also the Sunday where we don't have assigned speakers (we don't have Pastors, just different people from the congregation assigned each week to give a talk on a given Gospel topic), and instead have an "open pulpit" for people to come up and express their Testimonies of the Gospel and their faith in Christ.

 

Of course we Fast at other times, but that's the most regular time.

 

Things that help me to Fast:

*Having a purpose. I fasted about my choice to homeschool. I fasted about my decision to marry my husband (before I said yes ;) ) I've fasted for the health of friends and family. I've fasted for guidance in my parenting. Having a purpose for my Fasting helps me to keep focused on Spiritual matters, and less likely to fall into the trap of seeing it as "just not eating for a while".

*Beginning and ending my Fast with prayer. I dedicate the Fast to the Lord, and communicate with Him what sort of Spiritual guidance I'm in search of, and let Him know that I'm open to any other guidance He knows I need. At the end I try to journal whatever thoughts came into my mind during the Fast.

*Read my scriptures/listen to hymns/cut out as many wordly considerations as I can. This is fairly easy for me since I typically Fast on the Sabbath, but on weekdays where I feel the need to fast I try to keep as focused on the Fast as I can. Of course I still take care of my children, run any necessary errands, etc. But I try to stick to the basics, and fill as much of my free time with things that will feed my Spirit. I often keep the TV off entirely, screen my phone calls, and go for walks.

[mytwomonkeys]

i incorporate fasting & believe it is important personally. i think prayer, giving, and fasting all serve a purpose in the life of a christian. i have done full fasts & partial fasts. there are several churches i know of that do a 21 daniel fast each year as a congregation. i attend a UMC church where fasting isn't really taught about or practiced (well...aside from lent of course). i do find it valuable though on so many levels - so my husband & i do fasts at different times throughout the year and for different reasons.

Edited April 15, 2011 by mytwomonkeys

[JenniferB]

Since this is Lent, should get lots of responses once folks find out that the boards are up and running again. I cannot comment on the subject, yet, because I'm not "there" yet! :D

[HSMom2One]

Religious fasting here. I'm not very good at it, but I've done it. It does focus me and strips away the superficial. God gets my attention and I have to depend on him when I fast.

 

I am the same as Chris in this, but I'm gaining ground the more I do it. I've learned that fasting and prayer isn't so we get God's attention and attempt to manipulate Him in any way, but rather that we are able to give Him our full attention and He has His way with us.

 

Five years ago I attended an international women's prayer and fasting conference that was held in S. Korea. I learned so much there, and it changed my life forever. We Americans have SO MUCH to learn about fasting and prayer.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[alpidarkomama]

There are several fasts on the Jewish calendar (no food or water; 25 hours for major fasts; sunrise to sunset more or less for minor fasts). Once I get past lunchtime, I feel pretty okay, but I get awfully sleepy towards the end! A bride and groom also fast on the day of their wedding from daybreak until they are officially married.

[Teachin'Mine]

I'm Eastern Orthodox, and we fast 2 days per week, 6 weeks of Lent, 6 weeks of Advent, and about 5 other weeks throughout the year. That said, it is really *abstention* from meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine and oil. The focus of fasting is to help us pray better and to incline us to charity. Fasting without prayer is really a diet. We have 2 strict fasts (only water) two days a year, one of which is Great and Holy Friday (this week).

 

There is a lot of good material out there to explain the practice. The difference for me, however, is that I used to fast alone. Now, we are all in it together, everyone doing what they can according to their situation. We tend to have a lot more prayer services together in the fasting seasons.

 

The early Christian document called the Didache calls the Christians to fast on Wednesday and Friday, so you are in the good company of a long tradition.

 

Our Lady of Medjugorje asks us to fast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays. She says the best fast is bread and water, but of course any attempts at fasting are of benefit. I fast most Wednesdays and Fridays. :)

[justamouse]

Oh yeah. I used to do it before as a Protestant when I *really* needed to storm the gates of heaven of hell, so to speak, but now, as a Catholic, we're fasting on Wed and Fridays, and I love it. We've also been in Lent, a 40 day time of fasting, almsgiving and prayer.

 

(For Wed and Fri, I , as an adult I abstain from food until dinner, which is meatless, but I don't ask that of the kids)

Edited April 18, 2011 by justamouse

[AvasMom]

We do 24-hour water only fasts fairly regularly. By water only I mean no coffee either. I'm TERRIBLE at it!! Just terrible. Clearly I have a problem saying no to my flesh (probably has something to do with why I'm fat too). But fasting is one of the best ways to conquer that so we keep at it.

[Aquinas Academy]

I fast most Wednesdays and Fridays. :)

I do the same. :)

[Random]

I used to fast regularly (water only and maybe gum if my breath is awful) before I started having babies, and that was 10 years ago.

 

I need to do more of it now that I'm done having babies. ;) Thanks for the reminder!

 

When I fast, it forces me to focus more on God and I find it really humbles me and turns my heart towards God.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Well, every time I try to fast, I end up light headed and can't be relied upon to even know my own name, let alone operate heavy machinery (like a stove.) Several times I passed out. So, I don't fast. I talked to my priest about it and because I have a medical reason for not fasting, I should fast from something other than food and spend more time in prayer. I'm trying ... and really struggling.

[farmgirlinwv]

What's the historical significance of the Wed/Fri fast?

[redsnapper]

I have only fast from food for a few hours :tongue_smilie:

 

.... however, my husband I decided to do a 40 day media fast a few years ago (might have been for Lent?). It was a great experience. We didn't watch movies, even for our then little ones, we didn't listen to any music, we didn't surf the web, though checking email or computer for work was allowed. We found that while we used to feel we NEEDED the TV to relax in the evenings, we felt just as relaxed with no TV. We had more time for conversation and reading, too.

 

Actually, even now, about 7 years later I'm wanting to do so again. But before school lets out and we don't have as much to do LOL! My kids are getting more and more dependent upon media for entertainment, despite our attempts to minimize it.

 

Food for thought!

[justamouse]

What's the historical significance of the Wed/Fri fast?

 

It's in the Didache (yes, that's wiki, so sue me ;-))

The text, parts of which may have constituted the first written catechism, has three main sections dealing with Christian lessons, rituals such as baptism and Eucharist, and Church organization. It is considered the first treatise of the genre of the Church Orders.

chpt 8

 

But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; Matthew 6:16 for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Neither pray as the hypocrites; but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, thus pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Yours is the power and the glory for ever. Thrice in the day thus pray.

[farmgirlinwv]

It's in the Didache (yes, that's wiki, so sue me ;-)) chpt 8

 

 

Thanks!

[Wayfaring Stranger]

The EO fast on Wednesday in remembrance of the betrayal of Christ and on Friday in remembrance of the crucifixion. I think the Didache also says the pharisees fasted on Tuesdays and Thursdays so a point was made not to do it on those days.