“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18; all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version).
After teaching His disciples about prayer and forgiveness, Jesus shared this brief instruction about fasting. Like some other instructions in Matthew 6, Jesus prefaced this teaching by saying, “And when you fast….” Earlier, He said, “When you give to the needy…. And when you pray….” He expected His disciples to fast, just as He expected them to pray. He did not say, “If you fast.”
Beyond that, He gave limited instructions regarding how we should fast. We are not to make a big deal about it to impress others with how spiritual we are. Do not look gloomy or “disfigure your face” to show others that you are fasting. Your mission is to be seen by “your Father who is in secret,” who also sees in secret when you give to the poor or pray (Matthew 6:4, 6).
Other than that, the New Testament says little about fasting. The following suggestions will help you develop a rhythm of fasting in your life.
First, choose regular times to fast. The early Christian document, The Didache, urged believers to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays (Didache chapter 8). This tradition continues, with some modification, within some traditional churches like Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism. These days set Christians apart from “the hypocrites” (probably Pharisaic Jews), who fasted on Mondays and Thursdays.
Christians within traditional liturgical traditions generally do not fast on Sundays; as a weekly celebration of the Lord’s resurrection, it is a time to feast, not to fast.
It is more important to select regular times to fast than to strictly follow an ancient tradition. Find days or times that will work best for you.
Second, consider periodic extended seasons of fasting. Some denominations observe Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and self-examination (not including Sundays—see above) preceding Easter. Some evangelical and charismatic congregations may observe seasons of fasting and prayer if the pastor senses that the Holy Spirit is guiding them. If your church does not observe an extended time of fasting, you may choose your own, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, according to your own needs. This does not have to be 40 days; even a weekend, three days, or a week can allow you to draw closer to the Lord.
Third, consider how intensive the fast should be. Longer fasts are generally less extensive: maybe one meal per day. Some Christians will give up meat on Fridays during Lent, as well as a favorite delicacy for all 40 days. Such partial fasts might also work for your regularly scheduled weekly one-day fast(s). Intensive fasts—where you give up all solid food or everything except water—should rarely go much longer than one day.
Some readers might point out that Moses, Elijah, and Jesus each fasted and prayed for 40 days. These were the exception and not the rule for the believer. Unless you are preparing to write the Bible, save the entire people of God from falling into apostasy, or die for the sins of humanity, you cannot use their fasts as an example for your life.
Generally, throughout the year (except during the 40 days after Easter), I fast lunch once or twice per week. During Lent, I will usually add a favorite category of snack foods—perhaps potato chips and similar snacks, chocolate, or cookies, donuts, and pastries. I will also abstain from a favorite activity or hobby and devote that time to extra prayer, Scripture reading, and worship. Such abstaining from a favorite activity can enhance your fast. Keep in mind, though, that it should be an innocent activity, which you can usually perform without sinning. Giving up playing video games online or watching television might constitute fasting; giving up pornography should be considered repentance, not fasting, and should be part of every Christian’s regular lifestyle.
Fourth, try to maintain normal activities without advertising that you are fasting. In our more secular society, you will not see many people distorting their faces to let everybody know they are fasting. But, some people might be tempted to announce their Lenten fast on social media or tell everybody at church what they gave up. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:16-18, our fasting should be seen by God, not all of our friends and church members. You might let your spouse know what you are fasting, especially if it will affect them. You might also let a prayer partner know so he or she can provide accountability and encouragement. Besides that, the only time to say you are fasting is when people insist on offering you whatever food you gave up for Lent. For example, several years ago I had to tell a co-worker that I had given up cakes and pastries during Lent for an in-office gathering, where she baked a cake for the entire department and wondered why I (a notorious cake-and-donut junkie) refused to take a slice. She could already guess that I was probably observing Lent, and it was better to acknowledge that instead of offending her by refusing her cake. (Since she baked for us on other occasions, I am sure it was delicious.)
Finally, supplement your fast with positive ways to draw closer to God and glorify Him. The time we would otherwise spend preparing and eating food should be spent in prayer, Bible reading, or worship. In addition, a recent article on Ark-Ready News Updates proposed a few ways to glorify God and serve others while fasting. For example, we might try to discern who the Lord wants us to bless and how to do so: It might be as simple as a text message or phone call, or it could be something uncomfortable or strange. You may also look for opportunities to perform one act of kindness every day. Fasting is a good time to learn how to recognize the Holy Spirit’s guidance and follow His will for your life.
While the New Testament gives no strict guidelines regarding when and how long to fast, it is the Lord’s will that we fast at times. It is a question of when and how, not if, we will fast. If you have never fasted before, pick a day, choose a type of fast, and begin to add it to the regimen of ways you seek the Lord’s presence in your life. You will likely crave even more of His love, grace, and power working in and through you.
Almighty God, thank You for all of the ways You seek to draw us to Yourself and work in our lives. Give us wisdom to seek You in prayer, Scripture reading, worship, fellowship, and fasting. Give us hearts that are hungry for Your presence and power, willing to sacrifice the pleasures of this life to enjoy the abundant life You offer us now, as well as eternal life with You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Do you fast? If so, are there any suggestions you would add? Please share your thoughts about this post in the comments area below.
Copyright © 2024 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.
Darkened Glass Reflections 
One response to ““When You Fast” (Matthew 6:16-18)”
Born Again This Way: Cruciformed
Posted onDecember 14, 2019 by Agent X
I write a blog that few people read with a message most people don’t want to hear. I don’t white-wash it, sugar coat it, and I ain’t overly nice about it either. I’m offensive. I embrace being offensive. Not because I want to keep you at arm’s length or run you off, not because I want to get in a good lick in the fight. None of that.
No. I want to be REAL with you. And whenever you get to where you can actually HANDLE THE TRUTH, you will see what I mean, and we will get along fine!
You see, I am offensive because I was Born Again This Way.
What WAY was I born again?
Well, if you follow me to the white, middle-class, Protestant, American, Evangelical church I am most likely to attend and look and listen very carefully, you would be pardoned for thinking the way I was born again was to have a life of privilege buttressed by conservative politics and the salvation I find there, conservative financial stewardship and the salvation that offers, occasional blanketly judgmental speech all manifest in my owning at least one fine home, at least two fine cars, several of the latest electronic gadgets all with my sins kept private and unexposed. I get to live this way here on earth (or at least strive for it), a life of “faith” in Jesus made possible by American might and superiority (thank you vets) all with the hope that when I safely die I get to “go to heaven” where I will enjoy eternal bliss. Ideally, there won’t hardly be a speed bump between this life and the next. Now, if I can just get those stupid liberals and all the minorities they brainwash with their lies to wake up and support this, then Jesus’s Kingdom will finally Come (or they can burn in Hell – either way is okay, actually).
There is precious little or no challenge to any of this where I go to church. Even our charity and care for the poor is carefully constructed to insulate this privileged mindset and life I enjoy. I volunteer four times a year to help feed the homeless. I took the Premier Homeless Pseudo Church 101 class where professional social workers (the kind who love Jesus) taught me not to give my name and number to the homeless, not to be manipulated by them, and rather than giving food, clothing, and especially money directly to the poor, rather to give these things to them – the professionals – who know how to manage the poor and really help them without being manipulated into “enabling” them. It just keeps everything more honest and simple, and with a million dollar budget, THEY can really do the Lord’s work! It’s actually best if I not even shake the hand of those suffering from homelessness (we try not to belittle THEM by calling THEM “homeless” or “bums” or even “those people” because that can be so damaging).
My kids join a “service project” in Mexico or LA once a year where they build a house for the homeless and get sweaty one day, but spend the next three days on the beach, at the theme park, and visit the local mall where they hopefully don’t overspend my credit card. But our church has built the youth group a gymnasium with a private coffee bar which makes Starbucks look like they don’t know how to market coffee, where the kids have a theater for movies and parties year round, and to top it all off they get the annual ski trip in the winter and summer camp in the mountains every summer. God bless ’em, I want my kids to have all the very best Jesus has to offer.
This is the way I was born again, it seems, if you follow me to church. This is the way my children are born again too, and hopefully we are ensuring this bliss for generations to come. We are born again this way.
However, most of my spiritual ancestors from Bible times, the first, second, and third centuries, were all born again and arrested, thrown in dungeons, flogged, stoned (with rocks), crucified, thrown to lions, and burned at the stake. They were born again THAT WAY. Every last one of them was born again only to die, or risk death for having been born again THAT WAY. (Too bad they didn’t live in God-blessed America!)
There is very little in common, aside from lip service, between my spiritual ancestors and myself. They gave up their lives to belong to Jesus; I give up Jesus at the mere glance at a naughty picture. They sold all their property and church leaders divided it up so that none of the poor lived in any need; I write a check and make the problem go away. They were noted for their sexual purity, even though they too struggled with it, and sometimes failed miserably. I try harder not to be a legalist than being true to my wife. My ancestors gave up their rights (which they were never granted by Rome or anyone else anyway), and I claim my American “rights” are “God-given” and complain if there is even the slightest hint that some liberal agenda might make it so I don’t get to enjoy them.
On Jesus’s birthday, the astrologers brought him gifts fit for a king. I, on his birthday, get something for myself while shopping for my wife and kids. (What DO you get for the person that has EVERYTHING? That is hard to do!)
Lady Gaga tells me I was born THIS WAY, and I think Jesus died so I could be born again this way too, but my spiritual ancestors were born again cruciformed, and I have no idea what that means. I grasp for the red pill and swallow the blue one, and as no one notices, I can pretend I stand for something. Jesus did not grasp at deity, but humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. I refuse to humble myself, but I grasp at greatness every chance I get, and I promote our church that way too! I have a thousand dollars to the new stained glass fund!
As you can see, there is no confusion here. If my faith causes you offense, so be it. We have this all figured out. Come to church where I go, listen to Pastor Bates explain it. He says it all better than I do.
Cruciform. I was born again this way.
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