Grow in Holiness

St. Augustine of Hippo, when asked, “Why fast?” said, “Because it is sometimes necessary to check the delight of the flesh in respect to licit pleasures in order to keep it from yielding to illicit joys.” 

Like most ancient Christian intellectuals, he saw gluttony as the first of the seven deadly sins, and saw a Christian’s relationship to food as a key part of their relationship to God. Most of us can see this link by direct experience: An inability to control one’s appetite has a ripple effect across the whole person, often resulting in a corresponding inability to control other bodily appetites — for drink, sex, speech, gossip, consumerism, power and dominion over others. 

But on the flip side, many luminaries from the Way of Jesus have considered fasting to be a way to feed your spirit and starve your flesh, the part of our person that is bent toward sin.

Our fight is not against the body — the body is broken, but it’s a good gift. Our fight is for the body. It’s against the flesh, or sinful appetites within us all. And fasting is one of the most powerful disciplines of the Way to free our bodies and souls from the chains of sin and the prison of shame.

Below you will find steps to help you engage with this practice over the next four weeks, as well as resources for further exploration.

Ways to engage with the Fasting Practice

• First and foremost, this practice (and all practices) are meant to be done in community. If you haven't yet, find a small group of people that are commited to walking through this practice together. 

• Download the Fasting Practice Guide. If you can, it is advised to print it out to reduce the distraction of our devices. 

• Gather with your group once a week to watch the Practicing the Way video found below. This will include questions for discussion, as well as a short teaching on that week's practice.

• Step into each practice as much as you are able and feel comfortable to. This invitation is for everyone at all stages of life and faith. 

• Reflect on your experience of the practice using the reflection questions at the bottom of the guide and be prepared to share them the next time you gather with your group.

Recommended Reading

God's Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis (Chapters 6-10)

Rule of Life Podcast

Fasting Practice Week 2

Fasting Practice Guide

Download the practice guide here

Week 2 Practice - Fast for one day this week, focusing on growing in holiness

For the Fasting Practice, each week’s exercise will be similar and straightforward: fast for one full day until sundown. Each week, we will attempt to focus our hearts on the reason for fasting we covered in that week’s session. This week, focus on reason one: growing in holiness.

Some basic tips:

• Drink lots of water to stay hydrated

• The more time you can give to prayer and reflection, and the less busy you are that day, the better. Make it your goal to slow down the day you fast and be present to your body, and to God, as much as you possibly can.

Resist the urge to judge your experience. Release thoughts like "I liked/disliked it, I felt/didn't feel close to God." Just let the experience of fasting be what it is, and offer it to God in love.

Week 2 Reflection Questions

Before your next time together with the group for Week 3, take five minutes to journal out your answers to the following three questions about the practice:

• What surprised me during my day of fasting?

• What did I notice about myself while I was hungry?

• Did I sense any changes in myself after my fast?