Fasting and Feasting: Finding Our Satisfaction in God
Recently, I, along with some of the Oasis women spent a weekend at Mount Tambourine for our Women’s Retreat. Getting away takes planning, preparation and effort, with family, work and other responsibilities to organise before we can step away from the busyness of everyday life.
When I was invited to share a devotional before one of our meals, God put a topic on my heart: fasting and feasting. So, yes, I spoke about fasting while everyone could smell breakfast being prepared!
Jesus speaks about fasting in Matthew 6:16–18, saying, “when you fast”. Yet fasting is perhaps one of the least practised spiritual disciplines among Christians today. Why does it matter, and what does it teach us about our relationship with God?
Fasting is not simply about giving something up. Throughout the Bible, God’s people fasted as they sought him, expressed grief, humbled themselves and depended on him in times of need. Fasting is an opportunity to put aside something for a time so that we can intentionally seek God and remember that our deepest needs are met in him.
You don’t need to escape to the mountains to make space for God. Perhaps you need to step away from distractions, set aside time for prayer, or deliberately turn your attention from the things competing for your heart. For some, fasting may mean abstaining from food for a time, where appropriate and safe. For others, it may be an opportunity to examine where they are placing their trust and learn to depend more fully on the Lord.
Jesus also cautions us not to fast for the approval of others (Matthew 6:16–18). Fasting is not about appearing spiritual, sulking over what we have given up, or trying to persuade God to do what we want. It is about seeking him, trusting him and growing to be more like Jesus.
But fasting also points us towards feasting.
We are familiar with feasts: weddings, Christmas celebrations, graduation dinners and meals shared with friends. These occasions give us opportunities to remember, celebrate and give thanks. In a far deeper way, spiritual feasting invites us to delight in God’s goodness and find our satisfaction in him.
King David expresses this beautifully in Psalm 63. Even in a dry and weary land, he longs for God:
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1 (NIV)
David remembers God’s power and glory, declaring that God’s love is better than life itself. He then describes the satisfaction he finds in God:
“I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.” Psalm 63:5 (NIV)
What a wonderful picture! David’s circumstances may be difficult, but his soul finds satisfaction in the Lord. His longing leads to praise.
The purpose of feasting is not simply to enjoy abundance or put on a beautiful table. It is to remember what God has done, celebrate his provision and trust in his promises. When we gather with God’s people, enjoy his creation and encourage one another in the faith, we have reasons to give thanks and rejoice in his goodness.
So, wherever you find yourself today, make space to seek the Lord. Feast on his Word, delight in his Spirit, enjoy the company of his people and give thanks for the good gifts he has placed around you. When life feels like a dry and weary land, remember that God’s steadfast love is better than life itself.
May our deepest hunger be satisfied in him.
Louise Toews
