On the surface, Fasting seems hard—perhaps even unnecessary. Why would anyone choose hunger? How could denying the body possibly be spiritual? These are natural questions for those of us shaped by a culture of abundance, where food is always within reach and consumption is as common as breathing.

On Baptism Sunday this summer I was here putting things back in storage after the picnic and just marveling in what was a wonderful day anointed by God. That’s when I happened to notice that someone had left a voicemail on our church phone line. All the person said was something like, “I’m asking for prayer. Thank you.”

It was May 1940. The Nazi’s have just overrun France. 338,000 Allied troops were trapped on the beach at Dunkirk (Western France on the English Channel). British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is gearing up for the annihilation of the British army and the last line of defense against the Nazi’s and England.

One of this week’s core passages is Jesus’ own definition of discipleship—the foundation for our three pillars of spiritual formation at Formation Church: Denying Self. Surrendering Fully. Following Daily. (Matthew 16:24). The spiritual discipline—or Practice—of Fasting invites us into this very posture.

The practice of fasting is not merely about abstaining from food—it is about offering our whole selves, body and soul, to God. When we feel hunger, it reminds us of something missing, an emptiness. In fasting, that physical longing becomes a spiritual longing, redirecting our desire toward God Himself.

It’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on our journey to-date, now that we’ve gone through the spiritual disciplines of Fasting, Sabbath, Solitude, and Prayer. My strong encouragement is to keep going. You’re not going to easily adopt any of these Practices on the first-go.

In Week 4 of the Practice of Fasting we face the reality of our world in which there are far too many people who do not have enough food to survive. The average family of four in the US spends $1,500 a year on food that will be thrown away which represents 40% of our food.

In Week 3 of the Practice of Fasting we reviewed how Fasting amplifies our prayers. First, Fasting amplifies our ability to hear God (Acts 13: 1-13). Second, Fasting amplifies our voice to God (Jonah 3: 5, 10).

In Week 2 of the Practice of Fasting we unpacked another important reason to fast, to grow in holiness. Fasting helps to wean us off the “pleasure principle” – to be happy and content even when we don’t get what we want.

In Week 1 we start by realizing that the ancient practice of Fasting has been a part of the early Christian and pre-Jesus life, going back over 2,000 years. In fact, the Eastern traditions continue to practice fasting today and it’s more Western Christianity that has lost the prevalence in its traditions.