The “Fast-ing” Way to Heaven

Like many people, I have been searching for a diet which would actually work for me.  But we all know that many diet plans are unrealistic or unsustainable.  In short most diet plans simply do not work for many people.  Alas.

So I have recently begun trying a strategy called ‘intermittent fasting.’  And so far, I like the results.  I am eating only one or two meals a day for most of the week.  Just as importantly, I am greatly cutting down my carbohydrate intake.  And I have tremendously reduced my hunger.

After an initial “carb withdrawal” period of two weeks, I found that I do not need to eat every two or three hours to feel good.  This has been a great shock to me considering the big appetite which I have had most of my life.  (Note: Anyone wishing to fast in some way should consult with his or her doctor before doing it.)

We all know that fasting is often mentioned in Scripture (Mt 4:1-17; Lk 2:37). It is generally seen as a way of developing self-discipline, removing distractions, exerting the spirit over the flesh, and honoring God.  Conversely, many people avoid any fasting out of fear of the unknown, distaste for discomfort. Or perhaps they simply do not wish to remove desired foods from their diet.

Physical fasting may be the answer for many people seeking greater health or weight loss.  But is it possible to do what I will call spiritual fasting?  Eating less led to my needing to eat less. Can we apply this to other areas of our lives?

Spiritual Fasting

Perhaps seeking or desiring earthly treats less may lead us to needing earthly nuggets less.  The less I seek earthly acclaim and recognition, the less I will need it.  And maybe the less I seek to be the center of attention, the less I will need to be just that.  Or perhaps the less I obsess over superficial and temporary earthly possessions and honors, the less I will need such worldly bling.

I found that eating fewer meals a day has left me greater time to do other things in my life.  Perhaps spending less time doing excessive, redundant, or insignificant things in my life will leave me more time to focus on God and following Christ’s example in my life.

I found that many foods that I believed I could not do without were actually addictions and habits that I could break.  Perhaps there are many practices and habits that we have allowed to become ingrained in our routine that can be peeled off with perhaps less effort than we imagined.

In the process of determining what foods I would eat more and less of, I was forced to discern their relative value.  And I learned to prioritize certain dietary themes over others.  Perhaps, as we look at what we need to do more and less, we too will figure out why one practice or belief should increase while another should decrease.  In addition, this prioritizing of our daily practices may lead us to discern why each practice is or is not important to us moving forward.

Starting Out

As I prepared to fast and began fasting, I realized that many foods such as bread and milk that I thought were healthy were not as good for me as I believed. Perhaps as we begin to spiritually fast, we may also realize that certain beliefs, motives, and intentions we believed were innocent or even good are not as benign as we fooled ourselves into believing.

Likewise, fasting  taught me that foods such as avocados and eggs are not as dangerous as I had been led to believe. Perhaps, in our spiritual life, we may also discover that certain intentions, plans, or risks that worried us are not as perilous as we thought. Many people, for example, allow fear of the unknown or unfamiliar to prevent them from volunteering at charities or donating their time elsewhere.

To my amusement, fasting also taught me to look at nutrition boxes more carefully.  I used to simply grab foods that I loved without even peeking at the nutrition box.  Now this is the first thing that I do.  Likewise, spiritual fasting may perhaps encourage us to do a daily Examen and practice Lectio Divina in reading and reflecting upon scripture and applying it to our lives.

In the final analysis, physical fasting makes us pause in our eating practices, habits, and beliefs.  It also makes us reflect on how much we really need to eat, what we need to eat, and what we do not need to eat at all.  Perhaps, spiritual fasting can make us pause in our spiritual practices, habits, and beliefs.  Maybe it can help us reflect on how close we really are to God, where we need to improve, what we need to increase and reduce in our lives, and how we can fine tune our path to Christ.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the entire purpose of our life, in whatever form that may take for each of us, is to fulfill our destiny in Heaven and help others do the same. And since we are all imperfect sinners in need of Divine Mercy, we all need Christ as our eternal guide toward that destiny.

Since we are living in a fallen world and surrounded by fallen people, the path to that destiny will be full of ups and downs, victories and struggles, charity and injustice.  Yet we are called to offer all to God’s Providence, and join our struggles to the redemption of mankind.

Scripture promotes physical fasting as a path to self-control and focus toward God.  It should also serve as a revelation to us about just what we are capable of beyond our own expectations. Perhaps we may see spiritual fasting as a similar path to such things.

Just as physical fasting is a pause in what we take into our bodies, so too spiritual fasting may be a pause in what we take into our hearts, minds, and souls.