Fasting can feel intimidating at first. Many of us associate it with rules, restriction, or spiritual pressure. Yet in Scripture, fasting is less about what we give up and more about what we make room for.
Biblical fasting is an invitation to pause. To step back from what normally sustains or distracts us, and to lean more fully into God. It is a way of saying, “Lord, I want You more than anything else.”
Throughout the Bible, people fasted when they were seeking clarity, repentance, strength, or direction. Esther called for a fast before stepping into an uncertain and courageous moment. David fasted in humility and surrender. The early church fasted together as they sought God’s guidance for what was next. Again and again, fasting was paired with prayer not to earn God’s favor, but to listen more closely.
Jesus Himself reminds us that fasting is not meant to be performative. It is a quiet, inward posture of the heart. A practice rooted in humility, trust, and dependence. God is far more concerned with what fasting produces within us than with the outward act itself.
The prophet Isaiah also reminds us that true fasting reshapes how we live. It softens our hearts, draws us toward compassion, and invites us to love others more faithfully. Fasting that pleases God leads to greater mercy, justice, and care for those around us.
Fasting is not presented as an obligation, but as an offering. You may choose to fast from food, from noise, from busyness, social media or from anything that competes for your attention. What matters most is the intention to create space for God to speak and for our hearts to respond.
As you consider prayer and fasting, remember this: God meets us gently. There is no comparison, no hierarchy, and no pressure to do it “perfectly.” There is only an open invitation to draw near.
Lord,
As we set aside our normal routines, we ask that You draw us closer to You.
Quiet our hearts and clear our minds so we can truly hear Your voice.
Teach us how to pray and how to fast in ways that honor You.
Help us to release what distracts us and to hold more tightly to what matters most.
We trust that You will meet us here and guide us each step of the way.
Amen.
The Prayer Porch 