Fasting Focuses
By John WyattA Note of Sensitivity: For Those Affected by Eating Disorders
As we explore the topic of fasting in this post, we acknowledge that this may be a sensitive area for those who are journeying through or recovering from eating disorders or disordered eating. If you feel this content might be unhelpful for you, we encourage you to take care of yourself and seek support from trusted individuals or professionals.“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23-24
The Bible, both in the Old and New Testament, is full of people fasting.
Moses fasted for forty days while receiving the Ten Commandments. Jesus fasted for forty days while being tempted in the wilderness. Even the Ninevites fasted when Jonah told them their city would be destroyed.
Why? Because fasting brings focus.
When we dial down the physical, we turn up the spiritual. It is an intentional act of removing distractions in order to hear God more clearly.
I think of it like playing a game where you’re blindfolded.
Have you ever noticed that when you can’t see, your hearing seems to get better? It’s as if your brain compensates for the loss of one sense by increasing awareness in another.
In the same way, I believe God is always speaking. The problem isn’t that He’s silent, it’s that we’re distracted.
Fasting shifts our attention. It removes the noise and tunes us in to God’s voice, His presence, and His direction. If you’re feeling distant from God, struggling to hear Him, or just longing for a deeper encounter, maybe it’s time to fast.
Father, I know You are always speaking. Help me remove the distractions that stop me from hearing You. As I fast, tune my heart to Your voice and draw me closer to You.
Amen.
Today, try a mini-fast and take intentional time to listen. It could be skipping a meal, taking a break from social media, or turning off all background noise for an hour. Instead of filling the space with something else, use that time to pray, reflect, and simply be still before God. What is He saying? What distractions might He be asking you to lay down so that you can hear Him more clearly?
