Lent and Fasting
With 80% of the nation considering themselves to be
Christian in some form or fashion I assume that many Americans participate in
Lent. My family and I have attended numerous churches, 12+ churches of varying
denominations, and all have encouraged participation in Lent. Not only is
participation encouraged, but advertisement of what is being sacrificed, or
given up, for lent is expected. Most people taking part ask the ever popular
question, “What are you giving up for lent this year?”
Lent is meant to be a ritual commemorating the sacrifices made by Jesus as he wandered the desert for 40 days. He had no luxuries and fasted for those 40 days. Traditionally, lent was a 40 day long fast in which most foods were given up and additional luxuries were sacrificed. Today, most people choose one thing to refrain from for 40 days. I myself am guilty of this. The one time I participated in Lent I gave up added sugars. That’s all.
There are many reasons to fast; mourning, celebration, honoring God, and to focus on your relationship with God through prayer. To fast in the biblical sense means to give up food in some form. This is typically through the sacrifice of a standard meal. When you give up a meal you are meant to spend that meal time praying. Old Testament and New Testament fasting has always been combined with prayer and doing God’s work; such as the case of Moses on the mountain or Jesus in the desert. You are supposed to keep your fasting private. It is between you and God; not for the world to see. When you make known that you are fasting you are boasting to the world.
“Now when you fast, don’t go around looking miserable, like the hypocrites. They make sour faces so that people will know they are fasting. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! But you, when you fast, wash your face and groom yourself, so that no one will know you are fasting — except your Father, who is with you in secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 6:16-18
Why then do most churches encourage doing the opposite of what Jesus told us to do? If we were instructed to keep fasting between us and God, then why then do we announce it to entire congregations? How many of us truly fast? Are you sacrificing an additive like I was or are you giving up an entire meal? When you do give up food is the time that was typically spent eating now devoted to prayer?
Fasting is just a small part of Lent. The other part is the sacrifice of luxuries/comforts we take for granted. This sacrifice has expanded to anything and everything and has overshadowed fasting all together. Instead of fasting and sacrificing most Christians, that I speak with, just sacrifice one thing and have that count for their fasting. What’s worse is that what is typically sacrificed are things that should be eliminated permanently from our lives. I hear about people giving up cursing, getting drunk, lying, insulting, fighting/arguing with others, and so on.
However, are we not told that if the Holy Spirit is in us that we will not produce such fruit as this? So how can people that belong to the body of Christ do these things often enough to require Lent to refrain from them? Although the celebration of Lent might not directly go against the teachings of Christ, how we go about celebrating Lent does. It has largely become a publicized fast in which we are celebrating temporarily refraining from sin that has become common place in our lives. We aren’t truly fasting, and we aren’t devoting extra time to prayer. The “luxuries” we sacrifice aren’t actually luxuries at all.
If you want to celebrate Lent why not follow the teachings of Christ when you do so? Remove sin from your life permanently. Actually fast. Eliminate one meal each day and devote the time to prayer. Or skip two meals. Or don’t eat every other day. Or refrain from food on the weekends. Fast however you wish during that 40-day season but be sure that you are performing a true fast. Don’t tell others about how you are fasting or when you are fasting. Keep it between you and God. And sacrifice true luxuries. Sleep on the floor. Refrain from television. Turn off the heat or electricity. Refrain from using the internet. We have many luxuries that are not sinful to use.
The Lent season is about fasting and sacrificing in order to commemorate what Jesus went through in the desert. If we so choose to participate in this season/ritual, then shouldn’t we do so properly?
Please note that I encourage all people to fast outside of the Lent season. However, keep that fasting between you and God and take that time to focus on your personal relationship with Him.
Lent is meant to be a ritual commemorating the sacrifices made by Jesus as he wandered the desert for 40 days. He had no luxuries and fasted for those 40 days. Traditionally, lent was a 40 day long fast in which most foods were given up and additional luxuries were sacrificed. Today, most people choose one thing to refrain from for 40 days. I myself am guilty of this. The one time I participated in Lent I gave up added sugars. That’s all.
There are many reasons to fast; mourning, celebration, honoring God, and to focus on your relationship with God through prayer. To fast in the biblical sense means to give up food in some form. This is typically through the sacrifice of a standard meal. When you give up a meal you are meant to spend that meal time praying. Old Testament and New Testament fasting has always been combined with prayer and doing God’s work; such as the case of Moses on the mountain or Jesus in the desert. You are supposed to keep your fasting private. It is between you and God; not for the world to see. When you make known that you are fasting you are boasting to the world.
“Now when you fast, don’t go around looking miserable, like the hypocrites. They make sour faces so that people will know they are fasting. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! But you, when you fast, wash your face and groom yourself, so that no one will know you are fasting — except your Father, who is with you in secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 6:16-18
Why then do most churches encourage doing the opposite of what Jesus told us to do? If we were instructed to keep fasting between us and God, then why then do we announce it to entire congregations? How many of us truly fast? Are you sacrificing an additive like I was or are you giving up an entire meal? When you do give up food is the time that was typically spent eating now devoted to prayer?
Fasting is just a small part of Lent. The other part is the sacrifice of luxuries/comforts we take for granted. This sacrifice has expanded to anything and everything and has overshadowed fasting all together. Instead of fasting and sacrificing most Christians, that I speak with, just sacrifice one thing and have that count for their fasting. What’s worse is that what is typically sacrificed are things that should be eliminated permanently from our lives. I hear about people giving up cursing, getting drunk, lying, insulting, fighting/arguing with others, and so on.
However, are we not told that if the Holy Spirit is in us that we will not produce such fruit as this? So how can people that belong to the body of Christ do these things often enough to require Lent to refrain from them? Although the celebration of Lent might not directly go against the teachings of Christ, how we go about celebrating Lent does. It has largely become a publicized fast in which we are celebrating temporarily refraining from sin that has become common place in our lives. We aren’t truly fasting, and we aren’t devoting extra time to prayer. The “luxuries” we sacrifice aren’t actually luxuries at all.
If you want to celebrate Lent why not follow the teachings of Christ when you do so? Remove sin from your life permanently. Actually fast. Eliminate one meal each day and devote the time to prayer. Or skip two meals. Or don’t eat every other day. Or refrain from food on the weekends. Fast however you wish during that 40-day season but be sure that you are performing a true fast. Don’t tell others about how you are fasting or when you are fasting. Keep it between you and God. And sacrifice true luxuries. Sleep on the floor. Refrain from television. Turn off the heat or electricity. Refrain from using the internet. We have many luxuries that are not sinful to use.
The Lent season is about fasting and sacrificing in order to commemorate what Jesus went through in the desert. If we so choose to participate in this season/ritual, then shouldn’t we do so properly?
Please note that I encourage all people to fast outside of the Lent season. However, keep that fasting between you and God and take that time to focus on your personal relationship with Him.
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