Fasting and feasting during Lent

We're in the midst of Lent, 40 days when we focus intentionally on fasting, prayer and sharing what we have with others before celebrating the resurrection of Christ on Easter. How are you fasting this year? If you're not sure yet, that's OK; it's not too late to ask the Holy Spirit to bring something to mind the Spirit wants to work with you on, and then enter into practicing it, growing deeper in God as God helps you.

I often think about fasting during Lent as giving up something that is good in order to sacrifice for God. It usually conjures up initial feelings of sadness or resistance to the idea of going without something I like for roughly 40 days. This initial sadness often wears away throughout the season, however; I have learned so much through fasting from good things, cultivating a healthy detachment from material goods and learning I don't actually need the things I think I do to be happy, joyful, complete. Giving up good things humbles us, getting us out of a place of comfort so we can more clearly hear God's voice and recognize our need for and dependency upon God. God bears good fruit through it.

This year just before Lent, I heard a priest read a prayer written by one of the popes (I think) that deepened my perspective on how to go about choosing what to give up during Lent. The prayer flipped the way I often think about fasting and proposed fasting from negative things to allow more space in our lives for feasting on virtues.

I love this perspective; at some points in our lives, I think our spirits probably need to give up things we like and are attached to during Lent. At other points in our lives, maybe our spirits need the gift of giving up the negative things we are attached to, so we can be bear good fruit more abundantly. After all, God wants us to be filled with joy; Jesus tells us in John 15:11 (NAB), "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete." God wants fullness and wholeness for us.

After reading a couple versions of this idea about fasting from negativity and feasting on positivity, I compiled a few lines from others' suggestions and composed a few of my own here. If one strikes you, I hope reflecting on and practicing it helps lead you into richer experience of God this season.

Fast from despair. Feast on hope.

Fast from fear. Feast on trust.

Fast from hopelessness. Feast on faith.

Fast from sadness. Feast on rejoicing.

Fast from complacency. Feast on growth and trying good, new things.

Fast from bitterness. Feast on openness.

Fast from aloneness. Feast on sharing your time with others.

Fast from comparison. Feast on gratitude.

Fast from gossip. Feast on praising God in each person.

Fast from judgement. Feast on the benefit of the doubt.

Fast from violence. Feast on peace.

Fast from carelessness. Feast on compassion and empathy.

Fast from technology. Feast on looking people in the eyes and paying attention.

Fast from busyness. Feast on rest.

Fast from anger. Feast on letting go.

Fast from clique-iness. Feast on inviting people in.

Fast from noise. Feast on silence.

Fast from resentment. Feast on love.

Fast from control. Feast on not knowing.

Fast from certainty. Feast on the possibility of God.

However we choose to fast this Lent, may God help us become freer through it and lead us to a deeper understanding of God, others, ourselves and love. Amen.