I want to fast. Ideas on what to fast on.

[thelord's_pearl]

Thanks. I have trouble with this. I've tried to fast on food and drink but couldn't. I tried to fast on buying clothes but I couldn't or hardly feel like buying any nowadays anyway so it wouldn't be fasting. What are some ideas to fast on, it would be really helpful in my everyday Christian life with Christ/God. how can/do I fast with food/drink if it's that or with clothes or anything else? Thanks a lot!

 

[Windmillcharge]

What are some ideas to fast on, it would be really helpful in my everyday Christian life with Christ/God.

May I suggest that you simple set aside some time, say a couple of hours, and you use the time for prayer, bible reading, thinking and just being before the Lord.

Or as a spiritual discipline follow a sensible healthy diet.

The point about fasting is to seek God, its not about giving things up but about removing distractions.
So if following a healthy diet, one would use the time spent in food preparation to be praising and thanking God for what ever food you are preparing, to listen to a sermon or challenging blog.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Thanks. I have trouble with this. I've tried to fast on food and drink but couldn't. I tried to fast on buying clothes but I couldn't or hardly feel like buying any nowadays anyway so it wouldn't be fasting. What are some ideas to fast on, it would be really helpful in my everyday Christian life with Christ/God. how can/do I fast with food/drink if it's that or with clothes or anything else? Thanks a lot!

Fasting is really just ensuring you're sincere and urgent in prayer. You can fast for a single meal. Skipping that meal tells you and God that your prayer is fixed in your mind, ahead of things less important than you get an answer to your prayers. If you can't give up anything in order to be more urgent in prayer, then you're simply not urgent in prayer.

Check out someone whose spouse has left them because he or she has behaved badly, and could've done better. That person loves his or her spouse, and loses all appetite in grief at how poorly they have performed. All they can think about is getting an apology delivered to the other party. They would give up almost anything to get their loved one back. It's not hard to give up something if you're desperate enough. You can give up a single meal!

Keep in mind you don't *have* to fast! You're not going to get an answer by paying God with your suffering. But urgency in prayer does count with God. If your prayer is half-hearted, then the answer may be "half-hearted!"

 

[Deborah_]

Fasting, like most other habits, takes practice. When you say that you "couldn't fast from food & drink", what exactly do you mean? Was it that you couldn't keep it up for more than a few days (or hours)? Or that you felt unwell very quickly?

A fast from buying clothes sounds like a very long-term thing (several weeks or months). Are you being over-ambitious?

Try starting with an occasional or regular short fast (one meal, or one day) and gradually work up to a longer period. Most people find it better not to give up caffeine for any time shorter than a week, as a withdrawal headache is very common. When I fast, therefore, I keep on drinking tea - but giving up just food is hard enough work for me!

Whatever challenge you set yourself, make it easy enough to be achievable but hard enough to cause you significant inconvenience.

 

[Bob Estey]

Thanks. I have trouble with this. I've tried to fast on food and drink but couldn't. I tried to fast on buying clothes but I couldn't or hardly feel like buying any nowadays anyway so it wouldn't be fasting. What are some ideas to fast on, it would be really helpful in my everyday Christian life with Christ/God. how can/do I fast with food/drink if it's that or with clothes or anything else? Thanks a lot!

I wouldn't fast if I had problems with low blood sugar.

 

[Rockerduck]

A simple fasting plan - If it tastes good, spit it out. done.

 

[Pearl]

Thanks. I have trouble with this. I've tried to fast on food and drink but couldn't. I tried to fast on buying clothes but I couldn't or hardly feel like buying any nowadays anyway so it wouldn't be fasting. What are some ideas to fast on, it would be really helpful in my everyday Christian life with Christ/God. how can/do I fast with food/drink if it's that or with clothes or anything else? Thanks a lot!

If you are going to fast you really needs god's help and guidance. There needs to be a purpose to it and you need to do it prayerfully. If you do it of your own volition it will surely fail - as you have said. There is a blog about fasting so perhaps you could read it. Fasting - is it really necessary?

 

[rwb]

Thanks. I have trouble with this. I've tried to fast on food and drink but couldn't. I tried to fast on buying clothes but I couldn't or hardly feel like buying any nowadays anyway so it wouldn't be fasting. What are some ideas to fast on, it would be really helpful in my everyday Christian life with Christ/God. how can/do I fast with food/drink if it's that or with clothes or anything else? Thanks a lot!

Isaiah 58:5-7 (KJV) Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

 

[thelord's_pearl]

Fasting, like most other habits, takes practice. When you say that you "couldn't fast from food & drink", what exactly do you mean? Was it that you couldn't keep it up for more than a few days (or hours)? Or that you felt unwell very quickly?

A fast from buying clothes sounds like a very long-term thing (several weeks or months). Are you being over-ambitious?

Try starting with an occasional or regular short fast (one meal, or one day) and gradually work up to a longer period. Most people find it better not to give up caffeine for any time shorter than a week, as a withdrawal headache is very common. When I fast, therefore, I keep on drinking tea - but giving up just food is hard enough work for me!

Whatever challenge you set yourself, make it easy enough to be achievable but hard enough to cause you significant inconvenience.

I mean that I like to eat and drink and get hungry and thirsty so I couldn't do it.

 

[Wrangler]

how can/do I fast with food/drink if it's that or with clothes or anything else?

Great question. There is not a one size fits all answer. There is only an individually specific answer.

Generally, consider what is tempting you in practice to challenge God as supreme in importance to you. Considering specific temptations, let’s say you love chocolate and a TV show. When you normally consume these items, fast and listen to the Spirit and pray throughout.

 

[Windmillcharge]

I mean that I like to eat and drink and get hungry and thirsty so I couldn't do it.

Why can't you miss a meal or be content with just bread and water.
Do you have a medical condition like diabetes where one has to eat regular meals.

Fasting like a diet, or exercise regime require self discipline, so here is a fasting suggestion.
Eat three meals on your day of fasting, but have only one helping, one small to medium helping at each meal and no snacks, nibbles etc between those meal.
Also set time aside to read a portion of scripture and to think about that passage and to pray about it.

 

[Pearl]

I mean that I like to eat and drink and get hungry and thirsty so I couldn't do it.

We all feel like that but fasting is a sacrifice.

 

[lforrest]

A note about fasting, it is to deny the flesh. To deny the flesh is more than food and drink.
1 John 2:16 "For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world."