LDS Freedom Forum

I've had occasion to fast lately for a friend of mine who is going through some tough times. I haven't been the most diligent faster in my life... was never in the habit growing up and missed many years as an adult because of pregnancy/nursing. I'm no expert.

This morning I felt to start a fast for this friend... and just did. On the typical monthly fast, I know people generally watch the clock... Ready..... start!! ... and sometimes even eat big right before to help carry them through. This morning I had no tendency to watch the clock or think, "Let me eat something, then I'll start." I just started. Technically I was fasting for 14 hours before I even started my fast...

Does this stuff even matter? Clock-watching, timing the meals, etc... Frankly I find missing two meals is pretty weak. You have a big dinner one day and a big dinner the next day. That's really a sacrifice?

My dad fasted for 21 days a few times ... anyone here fast for long periods? What was your experience?

I think there is a great deal to learn from this principle... what little experience I've had with it, it's been amazing. Insight and power and faith truly comes from fasting. I wonder if some of the "rules" about it help or detract?

I know people fast for health reasons, too... but I'd like to focus on the spiritual here if we could.

I agree that those Fast Sunday's are very short but some can only do that much time. Not everyone can fast for a long time either due to medical conditions or mental state.

I've fasted for 2-4 days many times. The longest I fasted was 14 days. These fast are with water alone and I do them for spiritual reasons. The feeling of emptyness in time draws my attention further from when I'm going to be able to eat. Rather it puts my focus on my inner most and spiritual self.

Again, not everyone can even do one day of fasting. Whatever we are able is all God asks of us.

I fasted for 3 days once. 2 days with nothing, food or water, and the third day water only. It was a powerful experience, but I have not done anything like that since.

On 24 hour fasts, I do become a bit of a clock watcher the last hour or two. I don;t know why it feels important to me to do the "24 hours and 30 seconds", and I agree that the purpose should not be centered on duration, but on results. (I'll admit, on the three day fast, I felt ready to break my fast a few hours earlier, but since it was something I had never done I did want to reach the three day mark.

I knew one person that fasted every Sunday for the nation. I knew another man that did a forty day fast (water, vitamin,mineral, and protein supplements, but no "food".) Along with whatever spiritual results he had, he went from being overweight and unhealthy to very trim, healthful - and he maintained it afterwards.

I have never done a long fast. In fact, the last one was cut short because I sat in RS in dead silence and my stomach would not shut up and it was making my friends on each side of me laugh so I went out and chugged as much water as I could so my stomach could be more reverent. )

I don't feel particularly spiritual when all the boys in my house are asking me every five minutes when we'll eat followed by whining and moaning when I say, "not yet".

I should probably plan ahead and have things ready for them to grab themselves while I continue, but I really haven't done that yet.

You get out of Fast Sunday what you put into it. Some days I simply forget until after the egg is fried and the bacon is half way eaten, some days I do it just because it's Fast Sunday and other days I truly fast with purpose and intent. The results have always been based on how I handle myself. I think it's disingenuous to judge everyone as being fakes on Fast Sunday. That simply isn't the case! And who cares what others do regarding their fasts anyway?

I have tried a fast from criticism judgment, it was a delightful spiritual experience. The best part, was I didn't get hungry, but the fast offerings were really expensive that month.

Rand wrote:I have tried a fast from criticism judgment, it was a delightful spiritual experience. The best part, was I didn't get hungry, but the fast offerings were really expensive that month.

I took up a speaker in church who challenged us to pray to see others the way our Savior does, and it has been life changing. I need to keep it up! I have eaten lots and lots of crow. It's pretty freeing to stop trying to fix everything, or moaning about how I can't. It's a constant battle to tell the truth, but I think criticism is just a cousin to control. It doesn't work, and it makes you miserable.

:ymapplause:

ChelC wrote:

Rand wrote:I have tried a fast from criticism judgment, it was a delightful spiritual experience. The best part, was I didn't get hungry, but the fast offerings were really expensive that month.

I took up a speaker in church who challenged us to pray to see others the way our Savior does, and it has been life changing. I need to keep it up! I have eaten lots and lots of crow. It's pretty freeing to stop trying to fix everything, or moaning about how I can't. It's a constant battle to tell the truth, but I think criticism is just a cousin to control. It doesn't work, and it makes you miserable.

:ymapplause:

shadow wrote: And who cares what others do regarding their fasts anyway?

Oh, I dunno. Those of us who don't yet know it all might learn something new and valuable.

Raindrop wrote:I've had occasion to fast lately for a friend of mine who is going through some tough times. I haven't been the most diligent faster in my life... was never in the habit growing up and missed many years as an adult because of pregnancy/nursing. I'm no expert.

This morning I felt to start a fast for this friend... and just did. On the typical monthly fast, I know people generally watch the clock... Ready..... start!! ... and sometimes even eat big right before to help carry them through. This morning I had no tendency to watch the clock or think, "Let me eat something, then I'll start." I just started. Technically I was fasting for 14 hours before I even started my fast...

Does this stuff even matter? Clock-watching, timing the meals, etc... Frankly I find missing two meals is pretty weak. You have a big dinner one day and a big dinner the next day. That's really a sacrifice?

My dad fasted for 21 days a few times ... anyone here fast for long periods? What was your experience?

I think there is a great deal to learn from this principle... what little experience I've had with it, it's been amazing. Insight and power and faith truly comes from fasting. I wonder if some of the "rules" about it help or detract?

I know people fast for health reasons, too... but I'd like to focus on the spiritual here if we could.

I've done a fair amount of fasting, including a 20-day (13 days water-only and 7 with some juice). Some have been more spiritual than others, but the key is what we learn from Jesus' approach. That is to remove oneself from the world - to retreat to a quiet place for rest and contemplation. That is where you unlock the power of the fast.

From a physical perspective there is always a benefit from the fast - clearing out toxins and giving the body a chance to catch up on its housekeeping and to heal. From a spiritual perspective, if you're still watching TV, surfing the web, and doing the usual stuff, there's very little to be gained. Fasting is a time of focus, meditation and introspection.