In a culture that is all about making sure your needs are met, choosing to fast and deny yourself seems contrary to how we’re told to live. Yet, it also reminds us that this world is not our home. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him, which was just as counter-cultural then as it is now.

At its core, fasting is more than just abstaining from food. It’s a deliberate act of denying our physical needs to become more attuned to Christ. When we fast, we’re not just turning away from food or behaviors, but towards a deeper, closer relationship with God.

Fasting is about removing the distractions that pull us away from God. It’s a spiritual discipline that helps us become more aware of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. It also enables us to grasp God’s holiness more profoundly. When we fast, we intentionally set aside the clamor of our daily routines, creating space in our hearts and minds to focus solely on the Lord.

In Mark 8, we see Jesus’s call to deny ourselves and follow Him. Denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and choosing to follow Him are at the heart of fasting. It’s a choice to put aside something we desire, something that occupies our time and attention, and follow Jesus. This self-denial is a conscious choice to prioritize our relationship with Christ above all else. Though it will not be easy and may go against everything within our flesh, we can through the power of the Holy Spirit.

This year, as we practice fasting during Lent, let’s embrace this season as an opportunity to deepen our connection with Jesus. Let’s use this time to reflect on His sacrifice and love for us, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us and transform us. By denying ourselves, we open our hearts to understand the true cost of discipleship and the immeasurable love of Christ, who denied Himself for our sake.

I pray this season of Lent will be a time to truly understand and experience the power of fasting, drawing nearer to the heart of God, and embracing the fullness of life in Christ in every aspect of our lives.

Love God Greatly,

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Week 1 Challenge:

This week, we are studying fasting. While fasting was traditionally meant for food, there are many things we can fast from. This week, choose something to abstain from for the remainder of the Lenten season. This can be a complete or partial fast. Ask God to show you what you should fast from as you seek to align your heart with His in this season.

Week 1 Reading Plan:

Find it in your journal or on the LGG App!

Week 1 Memory Verse:

Angela Perritt

Angela Perritt is the founder and director of LoveGodGreatly.com, a nonprofit online Bible study ministry reaching thousands of women in over two hundred countries around the world with God’s Word through their translated Bible studies. She and her husband live in Dallas, Texas with their three daughters. Angela is passionate about God’s Word and believes one woman in God’s Word can change a family, community and ultimately a nation. Her greatest joy is to encourage her children and others to love God greatly with their lives one day at a time. You can connect with her on Instagram.