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In this blog post, we will discuss why we fast during Lent and the different methods we use. Lent is the precursor to Easter.
This article, of course, focuses on Christian fasting. We do know that fasting has been a method of worship in many other religions in the Ancient as well as the Modern World.
Fasting Brings Us Closer To God
We are fasting because it brings us closer to God and strengthens our faith. This is one way to look at why Christians should fast.
In the Old Testament, there are many occasions when you should fast: it can be an act of repentance (as the Babylonians did in Joel) or of grief (as King David did when he was grieving, in fact, many times).
There is also a direct commandment from God to fast, i.e., to abstain from food on certain holidays.
Needless to say, God also commands us to do it.
We are doing it because Jesus himself fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, according to the Gospels (Matthew 4), where he was tempted by the devil.
Fasting is also a way to do just as Jesus says when he is tempted: “It is written: Man should not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
Since the 18th Century, there has been a trend in Western society to avoid fasting, often driven by purely worldly values (factory owners, labor unions, and politicians).
Recently, the trend has shifted. What certainly comes to mind is the popular 5:2 diet, where you eat “normally” 5 days and eat less, which is called fasting, on the other 2 days.
Of course, you may just abstain from comfort foods like crisps, candy, or cookies if you normally eat them weekly.
Abstaining from food is one way to fast, of course, but there are many other fasting methods.
Different Ways Of Fasting
There are many ways to fast, not just by abstaining from food. If you have tips on how you fast, please share them in the comment field below.
Here are a few others:
- Abstaining from TV/Computers/Internet
You don’t have to abstain from it completely if you don’t want to. Limit it so you spend less time talking with people online, watching TV, or playing video games, and more time actually talking with people in real life.
- Abstaining from Sports
This is, of course, not just watching sports; it is just as much participating in them. Of course, you do not have to abstain from all if you do not want to. It is totally up to you.
- Abstaining from Cultural Events
It can also be a way of fasting, abstaining from cultural events like attending a play in the theater, the opera house, or a concert, or watching a film at the cinema.
- Walking Instead of Driving a Car or Commuting
If you live in the same city where you work, you may walk, ride a bike, or do something you don’t normally do in your daily life if you usually drive to work or commute by subway, bus, or train.
Conclusions About Fasting
There are many ways to fast, but you don’t have to abstain completely.
You decide what you want to abstain from and on what level. It is always about you.
Just remember that God has said we should fast, and this is true in both the Old and New Testaments.
If you have any thoughts about fasting, please share them in the comment field below, and they might be included in this blog post in the future.
Seasonal Dating: Dating During Advent and Christmas
Seasonal Dating: Dating During Easter
Why Do We Celebrate Pentecost?
Why We Celebrate Ascension Day
Until then,
The Chi Rho Dating Group
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