How to Fast

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Joel 2:12, NIV

Fasting can be a challenging practice to begin, so it takes some planning.

Choose a day (or one meal) when you will fast. You might experience faintness or fatigue, so make sure there aren’t any physical or mental demands during this time (a tax appointment, for example). Also, make sure no one is expecting to share a meal with you (your spouse or family, for example). Don’t make it a big deal that you’re fasting (Matthew 6:16-18).
Plan where you will be and what you will do in place of the meal. If you have a prayer list, pray for others while you fast. If you have a Bible reading plan, use the time for study. This should be an intentional time of solitude with God, satisfying your soul’s hunger for Him alone.
Drink plenty of water or juice, and don’t overly exert yourself during the fast. If you begin to feel unwell, eat something (without feeling guilty!).
Pay attention to your hunger. Think about or journal what you would normally do when you’re hungry, what foods you crave, how often you feel hungry. When hunger hits, prodding you to satiate it, redirect the hunger pains into prayer (see Psalm 42, for example). Tell God about your hunger for him. And if that is hard to express, ask God to help you want more of him.
After your fast is finished, it will be tempting and predictable to overeat, trying to catch up on the calories we missed. Instead, eat slowly, mindfully, gratefully. Savor each bite as a good gift from God who takes care of all your needs.