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Spiritual Fasting

Most religions believe in fasting during times of prayer and meditation. Voluntary abstinence from food has been a tradition in most religions and is clearly a spiritual purification rite. Many religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism Islamic fast during the Muslim month of Ramadan is strictly observed every year. Almost all religions have encouraged fasting for a variety of reasons, such as penitence, preparation for ceremony, purification, mourning, sacrifice, union with God, and the enhancement of knowledge and powers.

During the fast, a person feels the urge to have something to eat or drink, but he withstands this strongest of all desires, in obedience to God. This daily training, for a day, week or month, exercises and strengthens his ability to control bad desires in everyday life which lead to wrong-doing. This is just as physical exercise strengthens the body, and enables it to fight off illness more easily.

There are many different spiritual reasons why people or groups fast. It is believed that fasting in a group allows you to achieve something- can be for a personal cause, going closer to god, against war, or injustice, or a host of other social ills. Sometimes an individual may fast for personal reasons, some when the social or spiritual need arises or because the minister said so. Depending on the community, the religious fasts go for a day, 10 days, week, once a month, or one month per year.
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There are many controversies on spiritual fasting. Many questions are asked like - why God take pleasure in seeing his worshippers go without food or water, or to avoid particular foods and drinks at certain times. As we don't want our children to fast similarly our father -GOD will also never want his children to fast and suffer. These questions go unanswered.

Many believe that certainly there are moral benefits of fasting. During a fast, a person whomever he believes as God is drawn closer to him. During the fast he feels hungry or thirsty but the thought of the nearness of God stops him from satisfying his desires and makes him feel that God is always near at hand.

Fasting teaches one to be patient and resolute in difficulties, for that is what one does during the fast. It also makes us realize the great blessings of food and drink which are so easily available, but which we normally take for granted and curbs the feelings of greed that develop in people when they have all that they need, and even more. Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance, and a transformed prayer life into a richer and more personal experience.

Fasting also teaches us to realize the suffering and the feelings of those who are deprived and destitute. The bible says that your face should not show that you are fasting. Only God should known that you are fasting and he will reward you openly. A very important purpose of fasting is to learn to care about the needs of other people by being less concerned with oneself. This is why charitable acts of all kinds are especially encouraged during the days or month of fasting. By giving up your right to consume your own food and drink during the fast, you train yourself to be able to give up something that is rightfully yours, voluntarily and cheerfully, in order to help and serve others.
While the main motive in fasting must be to glorify God, not to have an emotional experience, and not to attain personal happiness. When your motives are right, God wi