Jesus Never Commanded Fasting

Jesus never commanded fasting. Does that surprise you? Be careful not to assume, though, that He was somehow uninterested in fasting. In fact, He assumed that His followers would fast when He said, “When you fast…”

Keep the following in mind, though. We don’t fast to score points with God or earn His favor. Fasting never changes God; it changes us. Determining to fast in itself is a step in the right direction, because it says, “I need to reprioritize my spiritual life.” The pangs of fasting are reminders to pray and that our deeper hunger must be for God. Fasting has a way of stripping away our pride by showing us how weak we really are.

I imagine the process of fasting producing a similar effect in us as someone refinishing a piece of furniture. Before the item can reach its full potential, layers of old paint or finish have to be removed. (If you’ve ever refinished an old chest, you know that there can be many layers of paint to deal with!) And how do you remove the old layers of finish? Sand paper, perhaps?

Ever felt God’s sand paper rubbing on your life? It’s not the most pleasant thing you’ll ever go through…but God never brings such discomfort into our lives without the finished product in view. We can trust Him on that! But He won’t do in us what He wants as long as we’re still covered in layers of pride and self and sinful habits and…

Even though we are journeying together across these 40 days, each of us is taking a deeply personal journey—just God and ourselves—as well. Trust God through the pain and inconvenience…trust Him that the finished work is going to be so worth it!

Matthew 6:16-18 NLT
"And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you."