Joel 2:12-13 "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
This past weekend I ended my Lenten fast with much rejoicing; not because I was so happy it was over, but because it was such a wonderful, blessed time. I find fasting in general and the annual Lenten fast in particular to be incredible times of spiritual refreshment and change. Granted, some feel that it’s silly to consider it a fast if you fast from anything other than food. Most people who fast from candy or a particular habit end up returning to that behavior as soon as the fast is over. Well, last time I checked, people who “seriously” fast by fasting from food return to regular meals after their fast, so I don’t know what the difference is. I do know this, however; when you fast, no matter what you fast from or what time of the year you fast, if you truly are fasting in order to seek the Lord, you will change. The Bible is very clear that it’s not how you fast, but why you fast that matters. God’s concern, as in everything else, is what happens to your heart during a time of fasting. That’s what I like best about Lent and fasting, they’re intense times of heart to heart with God, and I always walk away from those times changed; and I say anything that helps me change to be more like Christ is definitely good news.