How Fasting Helps You Grow in Your Faith This Easter

As Easter approaches, many Christians are encouraged to consider fasting as a spiritual discipline to deepen their connection with God. After all, Jesus modeled fasting and embracing this spiritual discipline can transform our spiritual journey during this sacred season.

How Fasting Helps Grow Your Faith

Fasting creates space in our lives—physically, mentally, and spiritually. When we voluntarily abstain from food or certain activities, we create a deliberate emptiness that can be filled with God’s presence. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:16-18, fasting is not about public displays of piety but about personal connection with God, our Heavenly Father “who sees what is done in secret.”

The Bible also shares numerous examples of fasting as a way of spiritual preparation. This is why people often fast before Easter. They are seeking to grow spiritually before the celebration of the resurrected Christ. Before beginning His ministry, Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-2). While not eating or drinking for 40 days, Jesus was preparing Himself for the challenges ahead.  

Fasting also sharpens our connection to God. As we quiet the demands of our physical appetites, we become more attuned to God’s voice. Isaiah 58:6-9 describes the fast that God desires—one that breaks chains of injustice, feeds the hungry, and shelters the homeless. When we fast with such righteousness, Isaiah promises that “your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.”

While fasting is encouraged as a spiritual discipline, it is also something to be considered with great caution as it can be dangerous to go 40 days without food. Remember, God cares about your heart motives rather than the action. That is why maybe you should consider beginning with a simple fast. Perhaps abstain from a meal each day and dedicate that time to prayer. Or fast from social media, television, or another activity that consumes your attention, using that time instead for Bible study and reflection. As the apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 9:27, we must “discipline our body and keep it under control” so that our spiritual lives can flourish.

Conclusion

Fasting is not about earning God’s favor but about creating space to receive His grace more fully. As you journey toward Easter, let your fast become an opportunity to draw closer to God, not about completing the day. Remember, as Jesus said, “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:17-18). As you fast, may it be a great time of spiritual growth that will help you in your faith be more in tune with God’s will for you and your life. 

To learn more about Fasting and download a guide to help you, click here.

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