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Returning to God: The Transformative Power of Fasting
In our fast-paced world, we often find ourselves distracted from what matters most. Imagine receiving a call from someone you love deeply—a friend or family member who simply wants to spend time with you. No agenda, no pressing matters to discuss, just the desire to be together. You accept the invitation, excited for this time of connection.
But then something happens. Within moments, your phone captures your attention. You turn on the television to see what's on. You wander to the kitchen for a snack. Before you know it, the intimacy of the conversation has dissolved—not because the other person stopped speaking, but because your attention became divided.
This scenario mirrors our relationship with God. He has never stopped speaking. He has never stopped inviting us into His presence. Yet the noise of life—our schedules, appointments, appetites, entertainment, worries, and even good things—can drown out His voice.
The Heart of Fasting
Fasting is not about earning God's favor or proving our spirituality. It's an intentional act of setting something aside so we can give God our undivided attention. It's saying no to the desires of our flesh for a season so we can truly say yes to a deeper hunger—a hunger for God and knowing Him more intimately.
The greatest reward of fasting isn't simply answered prayer or breakthrough. The greatest reward is a closer walk with the One who said, "Draw near to me and I will draw near to you."
Here's My Heart, Lord
God desires heart surgery. He wants to transform us from the inside out. Proverbs 23:26 captures this beautifully: "My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways."
There's delight in our surrender. There's joy when He changes us from the inside out. Our sins and idols make us adversaries of God, placing us at odds with Him. But just as a surgeon uses a scalpel to make precise incisions to remove disease, God does the same—except His scalpel is a scalpel of peace.
With that peace, He transforms our hearts and minds. With that same peace, He protects us.
This is a daily practice. Each morning, we have the opportunity to wake up and say, "Here's my heart, Lord. I submit to you. I lay it at your feet today." We do this as we surrender our hearts to Him, as we engage in daily devotions, and as we allow ourselves to be formed by Him.
Even Now, Return to Me
The book of Joel offers a powerful call to return. The kingdom of Judah had been overrun by locusts that devoured everything in sight. The prophet Joel confronted the sin of the kingdom, warning of coming judgment while extending an invitation that still resonates today.
In Joel 2:12, God declares: "Even now, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."
"Even now." These two words carry tremendous weight. Even now, you aren't too far gone. Even now, with all the things you've done, all the distractions you've placed in front of God, you may feel like you've gone too far. But the declaration remains: "Even now, return to me."
No matter how far you've gone, no matter what you've done, the call is to come back. This is the same call on all who follow Jesus. All are welcome in the kingdom of heaven.
God wants your heart—all of it. Your heart filled with hate? Give it to Him. Your heart hardened with shame from past mistakes? Give it to Him. Your heart deceived by the lies of the world, chasing after your own reality? Give it to Him. He wants it all because returning to Him means returning to the One who created it.
Jesus and Fasting
At the start of His ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1-2 tells us He fasted for forty days and forty nights. After that time, He was hungry—not just physically, but hungry for the Lord, hungry for His Father, hungry for relationship.
This is why when He was tempted three times, He quoted God's words. He was preparing for what lay ahead by fasting, desiring to be hungry for the Lord.
Jesus also taught about the proper attitude in fasting. In the Sermon on the Mount, He instructed: "But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face" (Matthew 6:17). Don't make it obvious to others that you're fasting. Make it obvious to God the Father. Fasting isn't about the people around us—it's about what's happening inside of us. It's about being transformed from the inside out.
Fast for God, not for others. A fast is a return to the relationship.
The Elephant in the Room
We must acknowledge a modern reality: our screen time is impacting our Jesus time. Consider these statistics:
A Seven-Day Challenge
Consider committing to a seven-day fast with one of these options:
Sunrise to Sunset: No screen time, social media, or television from sunrise to sunset. Search your heart and see what you need to let go of.
One Platform Fast: Choose the social media platform you're on most frequently and don't access it for seven days.
Notification-Free Week: Turn off all social media notifications on your phone for a week.
Screen-Free Morning: Commit to no screens each morning until noon, or whatever time frame works for your circumstances.
Choose the one that's hardest for you, not the easiest.
Reconnect Through Scripture
When we take something away, we must replace it with Jesus. Use your freed-up time for daily reading and prayer. Dive into Scripture. Let God's Word work in your life during this season of intentional focus.
The world will be okay if you step away from social media for a week. But your soul needs this time with the Lord.
Transformation Awaits
God's love never fails. His love never ends. He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He wants to change your heart, to go in with His scalpel of peace and transform your heart to look more like His.
Return to the Lord. Turn away from what has taken your focus. Commit to give God your undivided attention. Say, "Here's my heart, Lord. I want nothing else but you."
In these intentional acts of fasting, we discover that the greatest hunger we can experience is hunger for God Himself. And when we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him—and be forever changed.
In our fast-paced world, we often find ourselves distracted from what matters most. Imagine receiving a call from someone you love deeply—a friend or family member who simply wants to spend time with you. No agenda, no pressing matters to discuss, just the desire to be together. You accept the invitation, excited for this time of connection.
But then something happens. Within moments, your phone captures your attention. You turn on the television to see what's on. You wander to the kitchen for a snack. Before you know it, the intimacy of the conversation has dissolved—not because the other person stopped speaking, but because your attention became divided.
This scenario mirrors our relationship with God. He has never stopped speaking. He has never stopped inviting us into His presence. Yet the noise of life—our schedules, appointments, appetites, entertainment, worries, and even good things—can drown out His voice.
The Heart of Fasting
Fasting is not about earning God's favor or proving our spirituality. It's an intentional act of setting something aside so we can give God our undivided attention. It's saying no to the desires of our flesh for a season so we can truly say yes to a deeper hunger—a hunger for God and knowing Him more intimately.
The greatest reward of fasting isn't simply answered prayer or breakthrough. The greatest reward is a closer walk with the One who said, "Draw near to me and I will draw near to you."
Here's My Heart, Lord
God desires heart surgery. He wants to transform us from the inside out. Proverbs 23:26 captures this beautifully: "My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways."
There's delight in our surrender. There's joy when He changes us from the inside out. Our sins and idols make us adversaries of God, placing us at odds with Him. But just as a surgeon uses a scalpel to make precise incisions to remove disease, God does the same—except His scalpel is a scalpel of peace.
With that peace, He transforms our hearts and minds. With that same peace, He protects us.
This is a daily practice. Each morning, we have the opportunity to wake up and say, "Here's my heart, Lord. I submit to you. I lay it at your feet today." We do this as we surrender our hearts to Him, as we engage in daily devotions, and as we allow ourselves to be formed by Him.
Even Now, Return to Me
The book of Joel offers a powerful call to return. The kingdom of Judah had been overrun by locusts that devoured everything in sight. The prophet Joel confronted the sin of the kingdom, warning of coming judgment while extending an invitation that still resonates today.
In Joel 2:12, God declares: "Even now, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."
"Even now." These two words carry tremendous weight. Even now, you aren't too far gone. Even now, with all the things you've done, all the distractions you've placed in front of God, you may feel like you've gone too far. But the declaration remains: "Even now, return to me."
No matter how far you've gone, no matter what you've done, the call is to come back. This is the same call on all who follow Jesus. All are welcome in the kingdom of heaven.
God wants your heart—all of it. Your heart filled with hate? Give it to Him. Your heart hardened with shame from past mistakes? Give it to Him. Your heart deceived by the lies of the world, chasing after your own reality? Give it to Him. He wants it all because returning to Him means returning to the One who created it.
Jesus and Fasting
At the start of His ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1-2 tells us He fasted for forty days and forty nights. After that time, He was hungry—not just physically, but hungry for the Lord, hungry for His Father, hungry for relationship.
This is why when He was tempted three times, He quoted God's words. He was preparing for what lay ahead by fasting, desiring to be hungry for the Lord.
Jesus also taught about the proper attitude in fasting. In the Sermon on the Mount, He instructed: "But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face" (Matthew 6:17). Don't make it obvious to others that you're fasting. Make it obvious to God the Father. Fasting isn't about the people around us—it's about what's happening inside of us. It's about being transformed from the inside out.
Fast for God, not for others. A fast is a return to the relationship.
The Elephant in the Room
We must acknowledge a modern reality: our screen time is impacting our Jesus time. Consider these statistics:
- 71% of Americans check their phones within the first ten minutes of waking up
- 75% feel uneasy leaving home without their phones, even for quick errands
- 37% struggle to cut back on social media
- 59% say they'd feel relieved with less exposure to social media
- 24% often feel stressed or anxious due to social media content
A Seven-Day Challenge
Consider committing to a seven-day fast with one of these options:
Sunrise to Sunset: No screen time, social media, or television from sunrise to sunset. Search your heart and see what you need to let go of.
One Platform Fast: Choose the social media platform you're on most frequently and don't access it for seven days.
Notification-Free Week: Turn off all social media notifications on your phone for a week.
Screen-Free Morning: Commit to no screens each morning until noon, or whatever time frame works for your circumstances.
Choose the one that's hardest for you, not the easiest.
Reconnect Through Scripture
When we take something away, we must replace it with Jesus. Use your freed-up time for daily reading and prayer. Dive into Scripture. Let God's Word work in your life during this season of intentional focus.
The world will be okay if you step away from social media for a week. But your soul needs this time with the Lord.
Transformation Awaits
God's love never fails. His love never ends. He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He wants to change your heart, to go in with His scalpel of peace and transform your heart to look more like His.
Return to the Lord. Turn away from what has taken your focus. Commit to give God your undivided attention. Say, "Here's my heart, Lord. I want nothing else but you."
In these intentional acts of fasting, we discover that the greatest hunger we can experience is hunger for God Himself. And when we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him—and be forever changed.
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