To fast is to abstain from food and drink for a period of time.  In some churches, people fast prior to taking communion or sacrament.  You can fast from particular things, such as in Lent.  Some fast by eating small meals and not eating in between meals or abstaining from particular types of food, such as meat.  The fast that I am discussing is to abstain from all food and drink for 24 hours.

Fasting was a common practice in Biblical times.  There are many references to fasting in both the Old and New Testament.  Christ instructed people how to fast in His Sermon on the Mount.  He said, “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:16-18)  We see here an image of those that want the world to see how righteous they are.  Christ explains that if worldly recognition is the purpose of your fast, you will get it.  If you want something else, then keep your fast to yourself.

Here we encounter a second important idea.  To fast without purpose is merely to go hungry.  (Isaiah 58:4-5 “Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.  Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul?”)  When we fast, we ignore our physical hunger and feed that which is spiritual.  We have a deep longing for something.  David fasted for his sick child (2 Samuel 12:16).  Jehoshaphat fasted for protection from his enemies (2 Chronicles 20:3).  King Darius fasted for Daniel’s safety (Daniel 6:18).  Esther and her people fasted for guidance and a favorable outcome to what seemed an impossible situation (Esther 4:16).

Through fasting, we too can find answers (Exra 8:21-23; Psalms 109:24; Alma 5:46; 3 Nephi 27:1-3), improve missionary efforts (Alma 6:6), receive revelation and the Holy Ghost (Alma 17:3, 9), have increased faith, humility, and closeness to God (Nehamiah 9:1-3; Helman 3:35), and increase the power of our prayers (Mark 9:29; Acts 10:30).  When His disciples asked why He could accomplish something they could not, did not Christ say, “this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21)?

We fast, not only for our desires, but also to express gratitude (Alma 45:1) and sorrow (Ezra 10:6; Nehamiah 1:4; Daniel 9:3; Alma 10:7; Alma 28:6).  We are told to care for the poor and the hungry.  What better way to do so and show our gratitude for what we have by giving what we would otherwise have eaten (or an equal or greater amount of money) to alleviate such suffering.

I began this post because I didn’t understand why we are asked to fast.  I recognized the blessings and the procedure, but I didn’t understand the cause and effect.  How does going without food grant me all these blessings?  I still don’t understand it completely, but God has made promises and He keeps them.  I know this to be true and so I continue to fast so that I can be spiritually full.