What is Fasting?

At Trinity Church, we believe that setting aside certain times per year for church-wide prayer and fasting is an important element in our spiritual formation. Fasting, in particular, is something the people of God have done for millennia, but which has largely fallen away from the contemporary church. And simply put, the church is missing out. 

Fasting is an opportunity to become more aware of our dependence upon God, which is something the Western church desperately needs. And with Easter approaching, we believe the Lenten season provides a natural opportunity to engage in a time of fasting together as a church. 

Why Lent?

Historically, the church has recognized the 40 days preceding Easter as the period of “Lent.” The 40 days correspond to Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry (Matt 4:2). This season came to be used as part of new Christians’ preparation for baptism on Easter Sunday and was eventually enshrined in the church calendar in both Eastern and Western traditions. 

At Trinity, we do not want to approach Lenten fasting as a way to earn God’s favor - Jesus has done that for us. Nor do we want to simply uphold a tradition for tradition’s sake. Rather, we see Lent as an opportunity to join with Christians around the world in a powerful demonstration of God’s all-sufficiency in our lives. 

We live in an age of overindulgence. Abstaining from food for the purpose of experiencing God’s fullness is a way to grow spiritually and know him more intimately. And doing this together as a church body strengthens our solidarity, both with each other and with the great global family of those who call on the name of Christ. 

How Do I Fast? 

We recommend fasting on the Fridays leading up to Easter. This will look different for different people, but one popular method is to simply eat nothing after dinner on Thursday until dinnertime on Friday. Others may choose to skip only one meal on Friday, while others may feel stirred to eat nothing the entire day. If fasting from food is not an option for medical reasons, we recommend eliminating something else from your day that will feel sacrificial.