Here are some practical suggestions to begin the practice of fasting.
- Have a reason to fast. Here are some common reasons for a fast:
- Seeking guidance or spiritual protection
- Wanting to overcome a spiritual problem
- Facing an important decision or beginning a significant activity
- Repentance of sin
- Enhancing earnest prayer
- Start easy with a 24 hour fast at first and then progress to a longer or more difficult fast or start by skipping one meal, then next time skip two meals, etc. Don’t eat a lot of food to “stock up” before a fast. That will actually make the fast harder.
- When fasting from food be sure to drink plenty of water or natural fruit juice.
- In food fasts, learn to ignore the “hunger signals.” You have trained yourself to respond to hunger “pains” but they can and should be ignored. After practice you’ll learn to master your hunger versus your hunger mastering you.
- Consult your physician if you have any concerns or special medical needs before starting a fast. See chapter 4 of Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline for excellent guidance on longer term fasts.
- Develop a schedule to maximize your fast. Be sure you don’t fill your fasting time with “meaningless” activity.
