Can you speak about fasting in relation to your faith?

Dear Kayla,

Can you speak about fasting in relation to your faith? I would love for you to speak about this aspect in more depth. Why it’s important, how it helps your/our spiritual life, etc. Thank you.

Signed,

Interested

Dear Interested,

Thank you for your question. The spiritual side is not one I often discuss, mainly because I feel completely unqualified to do so. I am a major work in progress. But I will tell you what I’ve learned so far. When I was obese, I thought my spiritual life and my weight were two separate issues. Fasting taught me they were very much intertwined.

My first clue was my “I’ve had enough” moment. I was in a very dark place, thinking my family would be better off without me. For the first time, I learned that my weight problem could cause spiritual problems. I felt scared, and I started to pray. It was the first time I had ever prayed to God about my weight. I had thought my weight was something I should handle on my own, that I shouldn’t bother God with such a frivolous thing. I didn’t understand then that God cares about everything in our lives, no matter how small. The prayer I said that day was a good step in the right direction, but I still definitely struggled to lose weight.

It was about nine months later that I first heard about intermittent fasting. I thought it would help me lose weight, and that would be the extent of it. I did lose weight. But in the process, I learned a few spiritual lessons that were far more beneficial than mere weight loss.

The first was that food had become my idol. When upset, sad, bored, or angry, I turned to food for comfort. I would find myself standing in the kitchen in the middle of my fasting window, looking for a snack. When I came to my senses, I would question why I was standing there. I saw that I was seeking comfort. Fasting forced me to seek elsewhere. Often I decided to go for a walk and get some steps in. On these walks, I found opportunities for prayer, which helped ease my anxieties.

Fasting also made me aware that I was guilty of gluttony and sloth. I never perceived these two sins in myself when I was obese. The practice of fasting creates space, and it makes it easier to watch your own actions. Watching your own actions helps you to become self-aware. When I was obese, I was certain I was not overeating. But with consistent fasting, I started to notice how often I would end the meal feeling uncomfortably stuffed. I saw how often I procrastinated on tasks. I saw how sedentary I had become.

It doesn’t feel nice to learn these things about yourself. It’s humiliating. Once fasting made me aware of these things, I endeavored to change them. I’ve made some strides, but I’m still very much a work in progress.

After six years of practicing fasting, I googled “good church for introverts.” I came across a Reddit where many people recommended the Orthodox church. Although I had been a Christian from the age of 8, I had never heard of Orthodox Christianity. We attended a service and in short order, my family joined the Church. I learned, much to my surprise, that fasting is an important tradition among Orthodox Christians. We fast during Lent and Advent, and before we take Communion, which takes place every Sunday. To the Orthodox, fasting is important because it is a way to gain mastery over our flesh bodies. The idea is that if we can learn to tell ourselves no, we can then tell God yes. And in the end, what could be more important than that?

Sincerely,

Kayla

Originally published May 16, 2023.

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