Fasting, Making Space For God
Fasting: Making Space For God
When someone mentions fasting we typically think of going without food for a period of time. Fasting in this way is a spiritual exercise that removes barriers between us and God. We may pray, study the Bible, or just function in a more mindful way. When the stomach is empty we fill ourselves with the nourishment that comes from deepening our relationship with the Divine Source. We are making space in our lives for a blessing. Science has proven that fasting is beneficial to us biologically speaking. But what about the mind and soul?
In this modern age of endless information and opportunity for electronic engagement, there is a different kind of constant consumption. Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Discord, X, Tik Tok. They all offer the dopamine spikes that keep us scrolling, keep us engaged. And, while we are engaged with social media, we are getting further and further from the essence of humanity. We get constant distraction from life. The good and the bad.
We have instant access to what is going on around the world, with AI we can get the answers to almost all of life’s questions. Searching for reliable sources and waiting for answers used to be the norm. Now knowledge is delivered through our phone at the speed of light. This modern phenomenon is contrary to the Bible’s teaching about God’s time.
Nearly every spiritual tradition has some form of fasting. Throughout history breaks from consumption have played a key role in spiritual awakening and transcendence. It’s not about punishment, proving you are tough, or impressing God. It is about intention. When we voluntarily give something up temporarily, we interrupt our automatic patterns. Suddenly we are aware of the urges. The stomach tells us it is empty when the time comes for daily meals. The brain tells us that we are not being noticed or approved of when we disengage from social media. The neurotransmitter dopamine is an addictive taste. Once you’ve had that rush, it’s hard not to seek more and more of it.
In the pause, we have created space. Space to pray. Space to meditate. Space to reflect. Space to become aware of our thoughts. All of a sudden we find ourselves wondering, “What am I really hungry for?” Sometimes we eat not because we are hungry, but because we are bored. Sometimes we scroll because we are lonely. Sometimes we fill every moment because silence makes us uncomfortable.
Fasting is not deprivation. Instead we say, “I am choosing not to satisfy every desire immediately.”
I'll just say children and adolescents and people with certain medical conditions shouldn't engage in a food fast. The fasting I am proposing may be more liberating than fasting from food. A social media fast, a news fast, a television fast, a shopping fast, a technology fast, any of these will bring about a greater awareness of what our spirit needs, what our minds and souls need.
So this week ask yourself if your body needs a break from eating. Does your mind need a break from constant stimulation? Does your spirit need redirection? When you would normally eat, scroll, watch TV, or engage in another habit, you instead embrace the silence. Occupy the space you are making to seek the will of God. I’m sure he will appreciate you taking the time to do so, and you will be blessed.
