Although many people ignore its practice, fasting is demonstrated in the Bible and is an encouraged practice. (See the blog entry, “When You Fast…”.)
However, fasting rightly requires fasting for the right reasons. Here are some of them:
- To humble ourselves before God (Ezra 8:21).
- To prepare for spiritual battle (Matthew 4:1-2).
- To ready ourselves to hear God (Acts 13:2-3).
- To seek God’s mercy (Matthew 4:1-2).
- When praying for others (Daniel 9:3).
- When seeking God’s guidance (Ezra 8:21).
- When mourning death or loss (2 Samuel 1:12).
- To repent from sins (Jonah 3:5).
Wrong reasons for fasting includes to earn God’s attention or favor, out of a sense of duty and obligation, or to gain the respect of others.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
