I’m pleased to feature my friend and author, Katherine Pasour, as my guest on CarlaGPollard.com. I think you’ll find her teaching on fasting helpful and insightful as we celebrate this Christmas season and move forward into a New Year. As you’ll read, fasting can be more than abstaining from food. Here is Katherine’s article, “Fast during holidays? Say it isn’t so!”
Food has been an important aspect of holidays and celebrations for thousands of years. If you’re like me, this holiday season will include many opportunities to consume tasty holiday meals and treats. So why would anyone consider fasting during holidays?
C. Robert Marsh1 defines fasting as refraining from food and describes three forms of fasting:
- The normal fast involves total abstinence of food. Jesus abstained from food for forty days as he prepared for His ministry (Matthew 4:1-4; Luke 4:2).
- An absolute fast allows no food or drink. After Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus he did not eat or drink for three days (Acts 9:9). Esther urged Mordecai and the Jews to fast and pray for three days as she prepared to approach King Xerxes to plead for the safety of the Jews (Esther 4:15-16).
- A partial fast emphasizes restriction of some foods, implying there are physical benefits from eating certain types of foods and restricting others (Daniel 1:11-16).
In Daniel, Chapter 1, we learn that Daniel believed the food and wine provided by the officials of King Nebuchadnezzar would defile him, so he requested to eat vegetables and drink water instead. After ten days, Daniel and his friends “looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food” (Daniel 1:15).
Daniel was practicing a type of fasting—avoiding wine, drinking water, and choosing plant based foods.
God has presented us with the bounty of His creation. He created us with a need for food and the taste buds to enjoy eating. He also provided us with a multitude of choices. That variety of choices sometimes creates a dilemma when we eat the wrong kinds of foods or when we eat too much. Fasting from certain types of foods can help us make healthier lifestyle choices. We honor God when we care for the amazing body He has given us.2
Applying the concept of fasting in other ways
What if we practiced fasting in other aspects of our lives? What if we fasted by refraining from certain behaviors?
Refrain from anger and holding grudges.
“In your anger do not sin.” Do not let the sun go down while you are angry.
Ephesians 4:26
Refrain from bitterness, rudeness, gossip, and mistreating others.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Ephesians 4:31
Refrain from unforgiveness.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Refrain from judging others.
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
Romans 2:1
Refrain from withholding fruit from others.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against these things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
By turning away from harmful behaviors, we share the love of Jesus with others, while drawing closer to our Savior.
Fast during holidays? Say it isn’t so! by Katherine Pasour "By turning away from harmful behaviors, we share the love of Jesus with others, while drawing closer to our Savior." Share on XThe purpose of fasting is to draw closer to God
The Prophet Isaiah reminds us that fasting should not end in quarreling and strife (Isaiah 58:4), but with a goal to end injustice, feed the hungry, and set the oppressed free (Isaiah 58:6-8). The Prophet’s beautiful poetry describes what happens to us when we fast in ways acceptable to God:
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here I am. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Isaiah 58:8-11
Drawing closer to God this Christmas season
What better time to honor God than by drawing closer to Him during this holiday season? Hopefully, we can refrain from too much indulgence in the plethora of holiday treats and rich foods that will tempt us. I also pray we may draw closer to Him by loving His children, our brothers and sisters in Christ as we refrain (fast) from unrighteous behaviors. Thus, we show the love of Christ to others through our love, care, and concern for them—be they family, friend, or stranger in need.
How can we show our love for others during this season of celebration of the greatest gift of love, Jesus our Lord and Savior?
How can you honor God this season through taking better care of your body?
Wishing you a joyous, healthy, and blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Katherine’s latest book, Honoring God with My Body, is available for purchase. You can find out more about Katherine by connecting with her on social media (see info below). For more on healthy habits, check out “Building Healthy Habits for Life.” Be sure and let Katherine know how much you enjoyed her teaching by posting your comments below.
Katherine Pasour is an author, teacher, farmer, and speaker with a passion for service. She blogs regularly at www.katherinepasour.com with a focus on faith, wellness, and the lessons nature teaches. Psalm 139 reminds us that we are God’s special creation, “fearfully and wonderfully made”, thus Katherine believes we should nurture all aspects of wellness in service to our Lord. She is a regular contributor to Refresh Bible Study Magazine, published by Lighthouse Bible Studies and has written for Inspiration Ministries (Inspiration.org), and Living By Design (livingbydesign.org). Katherine’s wellness Bible study, Honoring God with My Body: Journey to Wellness and a Healthy Lifestyle, recently published by Morgan James, is available from all major booksellers. You can connect with Katherine on Facebook and Instagram at KatherinePasourAuthor and Twitter @KatherinePasour.
1 C. Robert Marsh, “Fasting,” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. (2003). Holman Reference, Nashville, Tennessee.
2 Katherine Pasour, Honoring God with My Body: Journey to Wellness and a Healthy Lifestyle. (2023). Morgan James Publishing, Nashville, Tennessee.
These are the most encouraging words I have ever read on fasting.
I’m blessed by your response, Jen, because I know how knowledgeable you are about scripture and theological matters. I hope the New Year brings healing and encouragement for you. Merry Christmas–I expect you already have snow!
Thanks, Katherine and Yvonne, for such good reminders. I will take your message to heart. Blessings!
Thank you, Annie. It’s a message I’m working to take to heart as well. Hoping your Christmas is filled with much joy and love and that 2023 will be flowing with blessings.
What a great idea. I think taking some time to fast in midst of all the amazing holiday food would be a great way to connect with God. I may try it and pray to have the mental strength to succeed. Thanks
I prayed for us–that we may make healthy choices this Christmas season–not only fasting from too much of the overabundance of rich foods, but fasting from behaviors not pleasing to God. Wishing you much joy as we celebrate Christmas and many blessing in the New Year.
I am coming out of a long Daniel fast, which is a good way to omit certain foods to introduce more of the Lord. I have to remember that no matter what I think my fast is for, God has His purposes.
That’s wonderful, Joanna–a great way to to prepare your heart for the coming of Jesus. The Daniel Diet is healthy eating and I love your comment, “introduce more of the Lord.” That sounds like the start of a great blog post message. Wishing you much joy this season of celebration of our Savior’s birth.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Katherine and pointing out different ways to fast that don’t always involve food.
I’m with you, Carla! I appreciate thinking of fasting in terms of behaviors besides what we eat. Thank you for stopping by and joining the conversation. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
What a perfect post for this season and always. Katherine and Carla, I love the way you included the idea to “refrain (fast) from unrighteous behaviors” and to focus on showing the love of Christ we have to others. Merry Christmas!
Thank you for you encouragement, Jeannie. I’m working on refraining from those unrighteous behaviors and, like you, I believe Christmas is a wonderful time to spread joy and love. Wishing you and your family a joyful Christmas and a blessed 2023.
This post was very encouraging, Katherine. Thank you for letting her share this article on your blog, Clara. I have often taught on different forms of fasting but the idea of fasting from an attitude of anger or bitterness is fantastic. I’m excited to reflect on this more throughout the day. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. I know it encourages Katherine in her labors.
Thank you, Joshua. I’m so grateful for your insights and I pray the message is meaningful for you. I’m so sorry about the loss of your beloved Franklin. Our pets are part of our family and we feel their loss deeply. Wishing you, your family, and your church family a joyful and blessed Christmas.
Interesating article. I had not thought of fasting behaviors as “fasting” 🙂
Debbie, I appreciate you taking time to read Katherine’s article. It is something to think about and something we all need. Blessings!
Until I delved into the various forms of fasting, I hadn’t thought about “fasting” from behaviors that could bring pain to others. But now I’m trying to use scriptural guidance to turn away (refrain) from actions that are hurtful to others. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Debbie. Wishing you a blessed Christmas season.
“Ding Ding Ding”, give the little lady from NC a prize! The goal of fasting is not denying ourselves but drawing closer to God. Well said Ms. Katherine. Fixing our hearts toward God, expecting His direct communication with us, and genuinely seeking His guidance in our lives, THAT is the purpose of my fasting. And while I could probably do with more food fasts, I agree that there’s lots of ways in which we can fast. For me, it’s about removing/refraining from those distractions in my life that move me away from God, rather than nearer. Amen ladies!
Yes, JD. Everything we endeavor for the Lord should be from a heart’s desire to draw closer to Him! Thank you and I know each and every comment is an encouragement to Katherine (and me). We appreciate you all!
Well said, my friend. Your insights always bring greater meaning to our messages. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and encouragement. Wishing you and the Cross-Dubya family a joy filled and blessed Christmas season.