Part of our purpose in life is to gain control over our physical bodies. One way in which we can do so is by regular fasting.
Let’s be honest: Fasting can be torture. Anyone who has faced the prospect of going 24 hours without food or drink knows how suddenly obsessive you can become over something as mundane as eating and drinking. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are expected to fast every first Sunday of the month, in addition to special fasts they may hold in times of special spiritual need. It is important to note that those with special considerations are exempted from fasting. These include small children, pregnant or nursing women, and those with prohibitive medical conditions.
Religious fasting is different from other kinds of fasting in that the intended benefits are more spiritual than physical. It is an opportunity to set aside temporal concerns (like fixing meals) as well as selfish concerns (like satisfying one’s palate) to focus more on spiritual concerns (like helping those in need). A religious fast should have a specific purpose, whether it is a petition for a desired blessing or to express profound gratitude. A proper fast open and closes with a prayer, and is characterized by increased prayerfulness through out the fasting period.
The reason for a fast is as personal as the individual who is fasting. Carl B. Pratt offered the following thoughts on the different purposes for which we might fast:
“The purpose of our fast may be a very personal one. Fasting can help us overcome personal flaws and sins. It can help us overcome our weaknesses—help them become strengths. Fasting can help us become more humble, less prideful, less selfish, and more concerned about the needs of others. It can help us see more clearly our own mistakes and weaknesses and help us be less prone to criticize others. Or our fast may have a focus on a family challenge. A family fast might help increase love and appreciation among family members and reduce the amount of contention in the family, or we might fast as a couple to strengthen our marriage bonds. A purpose of our fast might be to seek the Lord’s guidance in our callings, as President Hinckley has demonstrated, or we might fast with our home or visiting teaching companion to know how to help one of our families.”
((“The Blessings of a Proper Fast,” Ensign, Nov 2004, 47))
I remember an experience when fasting took on special meaning for me. As a junior in college I looked forward to weekly emails from my brother in South Korea. He was serving as a full-time missionary and having tremendous experiences despite being fairly new and learning the language. Then we received news that he’d been assigned to serve in a deaf congregation. Still struggling to learn spoken Korean, having to learn Korean sign left my brother feeling discouraged and overwhelmed. Over the next few weeks his morale continued to wane.
Finally he expressed in an email he was reaching a breaking point. He didn’t see how he could continue when he was making little progress in either the spoken or sign language. I did the only thing I could think to do. I called my parents back home and asked them to fast the following day with me. Our purpose was to petition the Lord to intervene in my brother’s behalf, to help him not be so discouraged and to be able to continue his mission.
Now, admittedly, I am one of the world’s biggest wimps when it comes to fasting. But this time it was different. I was so anxious to see my brother overcome this uncharacteristic depression that for once I had little trouble ignoring my stomach. Whenever a usual meal time rolled around, I remembered why I wasn’t eating and prayed for my brother. I felt fortified knowing my parents, who also weren’t accustomed to fasting a full 24 hours, were doing the same thing. With a focused purpose, the fast was more than manageable; it became a very positive and memorable experience.
My brother’s email the following day was in complete contrast to the last few we’d received. He had been reassigned, was back to learning just spoken Korean, and was more enthusiastic about the work than ever. I admit this wasn’t the kind of answer I was expecting, but it was the right thing for my brother, and he completed his mission successfully and had many wonderful experiences along the way.
Fasting really is a blessing, though at first it might no seem like it. Having a purpose makes a tremendous difference on what we gain from our fast, as well as what it accomplishes for others. For additional insight on the benefits of Mormon fasting, see Ali Cross’s terrific blog, The Joy of Fasting.
