When God motivates you to fast

God is always busy, but never busy enough to ignore the claims of his children, ignore our requests, and deny us his mercy. Human history is also a story of useless sacrifices by man to seek his own benefits. But God is wise, with a model of wisdom that our discernment will never understand.

No one doubts the spiritual value of fasting. The Bible leaves us with immemorial imprints of men and women of God who sought his direction through fasting accompanied by prayer. Although it is a beautiful and sacrificial act of the believer's will to seek harmony in the Spirit of God (with well-determined objectives), it must mean, for those who practice it as spiritual discipline, a sincere submission and surrender to the designs already God's will. It is an outpouring of the soul before God and a spiritual resource to strengthen faith and inner holiness; It should never be a religious event or ceremonial act of outward worship to seek an answer from God according to man's expectations. Fasting has to be accompanied by faith. Personally, I believe that God always responds to humiliation, to the affliction of the soul when his will is sincerely sought. He knows the heart of man. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the low in spirit" (Psalm 34:18)

God gives us promises of life, justice, help and blessing if, when fasting, it is done as He wishes. Many great battles have been won with fasting accompanied by prayer and God speaks to us in his Word of the immense struggles of his people, of prophets, kings, men and women who, before starting a fight, or undertaking a spiritual action to seek His favor and divine intervention turned their faces to heaven and invoked his presence through an act of contrition of the soul. Today it is exactly the same. Psalm 51:17 says “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; You will not despise a contrite and humbled heart, O God ”.

But what is the fast that God wants from his children? The prophet Isaiah tells us from God: “The fast I have chosen, is it not rather to break the chains of injustice and untie the straps of the yoke, set the oppressed free and break all ties? Is it not fasting to share your bread with the hungry and give shelter to the homeless poor, clothe the naked and not leave aside your fellow men? (Isaiah 58: 6-7).

In Isaiah's time this was a clear declaration of God against the religious who transfigured their faces in a merely religious and exhibitionistic act to give testimony of a supposed outward and outward holiness, while the humble and the poor around them could starve to death. and lacking a roof and clothing. Isaiah concludes this revealing passage and God says “If you do so, your light will break out like the dawn, and instantly your healing will come; Your righteousness will open the way for you, and the glory of the LORD will follow you. You will call, and the LORD will answer; you will ask for help, and he will say, "Here I am!" (Isaiah 58: 8-9). How many promises for the Christian who today chooses to fast in God's way and with the intentions of His heart!

Fasting, however, is not a commandment in itself, it is not an ordination from God, but our Lord Jesus Christ assumes that we must do it as part of our rational worship and our spiritual life. And as He takes it for granted, He warns us: "When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so as not to show men that you are fasting" (Mt. 6:16). That is humility.

Kind hearts are not known for what they give, but for what they bleed when giving, for what they sacrifice for others. Fasting is not only abstaining and putting penance to the stomach and the senses, but to surrender the heart in favor of your neighbor. God rejects religiosity that is not accompanied by true fervor for the brother.

God bless you!