True Fasting

hi there, all readers..
cos my leader told the caregroup to fast tmr dinner together, i thought of posting this post about fasting, to remind myself the true meaning of fasting...
For me i did not receive any teaching on fasting before. It was difficult for me to understand at first how can fasting help in my prayer life. but, i was inquisitive enough to read up on it myself *pat on the back* lol yup, so today's sharing is mainly from a section of the book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun.

Firstly, some examples of fasting in the OT are 1 Samuel 7:6, Nehemiah 1:4 and Esther 4:16. The characters fasted as they needed strength and mercy to persevere. Jesus, in the NT, also fasted before healings and to overcome temptation. This can be found in Matthew 4:2. That was before Jesus began His ministry.

One very important thing to note is fasting is not a magical guarantee that whatever you ask for, God would answer! We do not use fasting to manipulate God's plan to our plan. Fasting should be used to help us to intentionally open ourselves up to seek God's will.
The definition of fasting, given by this book is: A fast is the self-denial of normal necessities in order to intentionally attend to God in prayer. Bring attachments and cravings to the surface opens a place for prayer. This physical awareness of emptiness is the reminder to turn to Jesus who alone can satisfy.
This definition tells me the 'power' of fasting. Sometimes, our schedule is so busy, we don't find time to dwell in the presence of God, we just carry on with the things that we need to complete, without recognising the very presence of God, who is there to complete the work for you. Fasting, offers us the time, which originally will be used in self-indulgence, to now focus on God, one-on-one. Our attention on God is no longer shared with doing our own things.

Another important point to note about fasting is that it is a practice of self-denial. Through fasting of food, shopping, gaming... we realise how much control these things have over our lives. and we had not intended for that to happen. The practice of fasting can help us gain back control and stop us from self-indulging. Moreover, we all strive to lay down our lives, dying to ourselves and consecrate ourselves for God, because this is the only way for us to truly live life to the fullest, the life God intended for us. Self-denial is a process of human subtraction and divine addition, otherwise known as divine exchange. Feed on Jesus, the bread of life!

Finally, I really want to carry on my fasting, knowing that I must do this because God can give me grace, comfort and nurture that I can't find on my own!