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Fasting- Please feedback and insight encouraged

fhhannafhhanna
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
What is the main point of fasting? Is it just self control by abstaining from foods.

Is it abstaining from foods that give you pleasure (you enjoy eating)

I thought that the point of fasting was to get the body weak in the physical sense (that's what I've always assumed) in order to get your spirit stronger.

I've heard many reasons, but I believe there's only one truth to it and the rest are just other benefits (i.e. diet, health).

Anyone have expertise about this?

Thank you and please pray for me PLEASE especially tongiht.


Thank you

Comments

  • Mark423Mark423
    I think the main point of fasting is to acquire self control. Fasting might appear a simple task, however, that isn’t the case. If you have control over your appetite, you can control anything else.

    I really don’t think there is any correlation between fasting and physical strength. There are people who eat everything and are physically weak and people who lack specific types of food but are physically strong. The purpose is attaining a type of will power. I found that when I started fasting more and more, I was able to reject sins and temptations with much more ease. Staying away from foods you enjoy for a slight period of time several times out of the year, slowly but surely makes an individual a stronger person in spirit because they don’t lack the ability to reject things that they might crave. Therefore when a person feels tempted towards a sin, they will reject it with less difficulty then they normally would because they have gained ability to push away things that they are under the impression they need.

    Hope this made some sense
    -Mark
  • egyprincessegyprincess
    to add to mark's message, we have to fasting willingly, not just because we are forced to or told to do so. Fasting subdues the body and lifts the spirit. In a sermon one that the body is like a pig and the soul is like an eagle. the big (body) is holding the eagle (soul) down. fasting gives the eagle (soul) power to lift up the Body(pig) and gives it control. i hope this helps. pray for me
  • marysmarys
    i think the saying "mind (and spirit) over matter (or food in this case" if you can control you corporal self... then you can spend more time training your spiritual self.
  • fhhannafhhanna
    Thanks. That's pretty helpful. :)
  • marysmarys
    anytime 8)
  • WWJD54WWJD54
    a very good verse about fasting is on Matthew 17:20-21. ;)
  • karfawkarfaw
    Hi every1,

    Fasting is very important to us for the following reasons :

    1) The first commandment God has given to mankind was to fast when he told Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

    2) Fasting accompanied with prayer is a very good weapon in our fight against satan. When they brought one person possessed by demon to Jesus disciples to cure him, they could not do it. When they asked our Lord : Why couldn't we get demon out of this man? Jesus replied : This kind of demon does not go out except by fasting and prayer.

    3) Jesus Himself fasted for 40 days and nights but He did not need to do it since He is God. But He fasted to teach us that nobody says that fasting is not important since He fasted it so we should imitate Him.

    But the most important thing is fasting should not be just a habit. And as one Saint said once (Unfortunately I do not remember who?) : "Fasting of the tongue is more important than fasting of the mouth and fasting of the heart is more important than fasting of the stomach.".

    Thank you and may God bless you.

    Pray for me.

    KF
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