A biblical fast, the restricting of food for a spiritual purpose, is a choice to turn down the noise of the world and focus on your relationship with your Father. A fast doesn’t have to be a time of complete torture and misery. In fact, a partial fast is no less effective than a complete fast because the power of fasting has less to do with food than with setting yourself apart for a specific time to focus more on God for a specific purpose, according to Susan Gregory in her book The Daniel Fast.
The Daniel fast is similar to a vegan diet but somewhat more restrictive – eating fruits, vegetables, food originating from seeds and drinking only water. All manmade chemicals, artificial flavorings and colorings, food additives and preservatives are eliminated.
Susan Gregory is known as the Daniel fast blogger and has compiled her research and writings on the partial fast fashioned on the experiences of the prophet Daniel. The Daniel Fast is divided into three parts: 1) a description of the Daniel fast, the purpose of fasting, and the benefits of fasting for the body, soul, and spirit; 2) food lists, recipes, and menus for a Daniel fast; and 3) a 21-day devotional guide and frequently asked questions about Daniel fasting.
This book would be better titled The Daniel Diet than The Daniel Fast. Why spend an extra 15 minutes making your own all-natural ketchup when the point of the fast is to spend more time drawing closer to God? Half of the book includes recipes that I would love to include in my daily meals, but if I tried to incorporate them into my fast, I would spend much more time than I normally would preparing food and taking pleasure in eating it more than I would be praying and focusing on God. However, I feel this book is worthwhile to read if you are interested in a partial fast or even learning more about the purpose of a biblical fast, so long as you do not allow yourself to become consumed with the legalistic aspect of which foods are allowed and which foods are forbidden.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my review.
There's something that's seems more distracting in all that doing than would help me focus on the goal. I 'll pass.
ReplyDeleteWell it takes all kinds of channels to get to the father!
Good point, Paula. I have not read the book, but I have been a bit disturbed by this Daniel Fast fad among Christians today. I am all for people eating healthier and increasing their awareness of the illnesses associated with processed food. I also agree that there are many ways to fast and many reasons for fasting, but I think most people would crowd out the spiritual purpose if the fast causes one to focus so much on the preparation. I would think that a true Daniel fast would be produce with little to no preparation, more like a raw foods diet with produce straight off the plant, so to speak.
ReplyDeleteHaving done so many different kinds of fasts over the last twenty years, I can say when I refrain from all solid foods that my fast just becomes more spiritual naturally. There is something to that element of discomfort and lack of reliance on food that changes my perspective from the material world to the spiritual, perhaps because the commitment of the spirit is the sustaining force.
I disagree that a fast is "complete torture and misery" for the people who feel lead to fast. I have said that I do not like fasting of itself, but I do it because it is very worth doing--very. There are days of discomfort, actually I just wrote on my blog about my struggle with my current fast as the first five days were the worse I have had with any fast, but now I am feeling very well and all that little here and there, now and then joint pain is gone. Once I get past the third day *usually* the fast is not difficult.
BM - I think the book "A Woman's Guide to Complete Fasting" by Lisa Nelson is an excellent book for practical information about fasting.
ReplyDeleteSeekingmyLord-Your dedication to fasting is inspiring! I agree - the Daniel fast concept would be good to incorporate into a healthier eating diet. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.