Will fasting help save my faith?

I guess it depends on what you do while fasting. You should spend the day(s) you fast in prayer and worship. Use the time to get closer to God and listen for Him. By the way, Christians are expected to fast. Matthew 6:16 says WHEN you fast, not IF you fast...

.Iona. said:

I am really struggling right now with my faith. i was going to post here and complain about why God doesn't love me and why He allows me to lose faith. then I started reading some threads on here and in my head was answering them with everything that I should be telling myself. That God is real, God is the truth and God does love us, even though at times we may not feel this and may not understand everything that He does. Why can I say this to others, but not to myself?

I straight away began to feel differently and no longer wanted to post and complain. I realised that I cannot expect everything from God without putting something into the relationship too.

Then I saw this section about fasting. I have always been interested in how people talk about fasting strengthening their faith and know that this is something I should do.

I will not rush into it - won't just fast today or tomorrow. I want to read about it and pray about it. Then when I am ready - fast.

My question is... will fasting be something to help save my faith?

Click to expand...

It will help you if you surrender to the Holy Spirit.
Are you praying about fasting (food) ? That is a start and while in prayer you may want to ask God to show you if you should fast something else like TV, worldly music, cell phones, certain kinds people that don't encourage you in your walk with Christ. Fasting is FUN! Actually fun at first then gets hard physically, emotional, and spiritually, up and down you may go then once you get past a certain point FREE FLYING FUN! Overall I give it Absolute never ending Blessings! (can take 3 days or more I'm guessing) It is remarkable...God refreshes teaches comforts, heals and reveals endless stuff.. I have fasted many times and God deleted many distractions from my daily life. Read and praying singing and worship He will lead and carry you through...Enjoy your time with The Lord !
Tip.. when you do go back to food after not eating for days, eating very small amounts, hours apart...I learned that one after my first long fast...Also if you snack on something, keep going ....also if you keep thinking of food or that which you are fasting tell GOD! He will help you! Don't quit!

Fasting can help but you must have the right idea of "Fasting" in mind. It really isn't about food. Food is one of the areas where one sacrifices but it's also about sacrificing merriment or self-gratification or pleasure (whatever you want to call it).

St. John Chrysostom once said, “It is possible for one who fasts not to be rewarded for his fasting. How? When indeed we abstain from foods, but do not abstain from iniquities; when we do not eat meat, but gnaw to pieces the homes of the poor; when we do not become drunkards with wine, but we become drunkards with evil pleasures; when we abstain all the day, but all the night we spend in unchastened shows. Then what is the benefit of abstention from foods, when on the one hand you deprive your body of a selected food, but on the other you offer yourself unlawful food?”

I see plenty of people this time of year give up one thing or another for Lent, as well as observing some dietary restriction (especially no meat on Fridays), and it drives me bonkers because they do it all as some kind of legality or technicality and they come up with elaborate ways to substitute another pleasure for what they are supposedly sacrificing. Gave up meat? Have pizza! YUM! Or Lobster! Or shrimp! Or the same meal with tofu instead of meat! It's just about as good! (But it misses the point...) Gave up going out to the bar? Go out to the movies instead! Go out to restaurants instead! Go out to concerts or shows instead!

Most people treat the thing they give up as an inconvenience for which they must find a substitute. The point of the sacrifice is to not substitute something else but to let that empty part of your life be substituted with spiritual self-edification and growth, additional prayer or meditation or service to God. That's the point.

So, if you approach fasting the right way and use it as a chance to spend more time seeking God and His Will then it should bring you closer to Him. I don't know how far gone your faith is - the way you make it sound it seems like you at times have completely lost faith and I don't understand how that is possible. I have never completely lost faith or felt forsaken by God, even during times when I've strongly questioned my faith.

I wish you the best and pray that you will draw closer to Him, whether through fasting or not!

I also struggle with the idea of fasting. I'm not sure about it at all. I used to fast as a kid. Now I don't and I am not compelled to fast although I love God even more today than I can imagine I did as a kid.

Fasting simply puts a choke-hold on the flesh. The "flesh" is the curse of the body we were all born into. It tries to control and consume us. When we fast, we master the flesh. Like when we shut the pie hole. It helps control the tongue. Its ALWAYS a good thing to do!

Wow you totally made a thread for me...like completely...i want to do this, its just what to do while I do it ...but I'm gonna be with you on this fast sister.

Prayer and fasting can positively help in many ways. When we experience distinct benefits through giving ourself to prayer and fasting as a result of knowing we are following godly instruction / inspiration, such confirmation does indeed bolster our faith. And a no one ever loses a strong faith, if faith is lost, it is at least partly because, it was a weak faith. So we need to find and do things which strengthen our faith, so we won't lose it. And one of the simplest, straightfoward ways of strengthening the measure of faith given us is to do what The Lord is most clearly showing us we should do. For when we obey and experience beneficial results, that encourages us and strengthens our gift of faith. And it really helps to study His Word so we can have a sound way of determining what The Lord is actually leading us to do, via confirmation of scripture. Of course we also need His help / His Spirit to hear His Word aright.

May The Lord Be Pleased.