The discipline of fasting

From the Winterfest Bible 2012

Fasting is an expression of self-control for the sake of serving God. The central idea of fasting is the voluntary denial of an otherwise normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity.

The Bible deals with fasting in regard to food, it can also be applied to other aspects of contemporary culture. For instance, there are needs to fast from people, a need to fast from media, a need to fast from the telephone (or other electronic devices), a need to fast from “billboards” (and replace “more, more more” with “less, less, less”) and a need to fast from our gluttonous consumer culture that we find so comfortable.

Fasting is a spiritual discipline ordained by God for the good of the Christian fellowship. Fasting allows God to open our hearts and affect our lives in a personal way.

Readers, what do you think is the primary purpose of fasting? How can fasting reveal what controls your life? If you fast from the media for one week, what do you think you will learn about yourself in that time?