Skipping a meal or two can actually be very good for your health. In turn, fasting can also be excellent for your mental and spiritual well being – and thus, your relationship with your spouse.
Most great religions of the world, and many doctors and medical professionals, recommend a monthly fast to cleanse the body. You can read Dr. Michael Eades’ take on fasting at Tim Ferriss’ Blog.
Physically
Fasting affords your body a rest from the process of digestion, thus freeing up energy for other bodily functions like removing waste. It also lowers blood sugar, blood pressure, reduces general stress levels, and improves health over all.
I have noticed that when I am fasting I become more in tune with my body and what is happening to it. I also notice that my body tends to slow down a little bit (as would be expected) and this affords me the opportunity to think a little bit more. I also noticed that when I fast I burp a lot.
Spiritually
Muslims fast on Ramadan, the 9th month of the Muslim calendar. According to the Qur’an, proper observance of the Ramadan fast brings clarity of thought, peace, and a closeness to God. Since the fast is observed between sunrise and sunset daily throughout the month, the devotion to fasting also brings sympathy for those who do not have ready access to food each day. Also, Ramadan fasts are also supposed to remind people of their duty to think pure thoughts and keep their words and actions clean.
Some Buddhists regularly engage in fasting. I had a professor in college who was Buddhist and we discussed it at length. Buddhists emphasize denying the self, or the needs of the body, so that the spirit may be enlightened. For practitioners, fasting is part of the eight precepts that guide their daily lives.
Many Christians fast. Mormons hold church wide fasts on the first Sunday of each month. On that Sunday, they meet together, share their testimonies of what they believe, and generally observe to do better than they have done. Members of the LDS faith are encouraged to take the money they would have spent on food that day and donate it to charity.
From Isaiah 58:
3 ΒΆ aWherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your bfast ye find cpleasure, and dexact all your labours.5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
Of course, fasting must be done with a purpose in order to gain the spiritual benefits. You must have a reason for you sacrifice. I have fasted because I wanted to gain insight into what to study in college, whether to marry, what kind of job to take, and many other decisions. I use the time that I am fasting to study scripture, ponder, and pray.
It has been a constant theme of mine that good husbands should do their best to develop their spirits as well as their minds and bodies. I personally believe that life, and, if we desire, our marriages, will continue on after this life. If that is the case, then it behooves each of us to learn a little bit more each day about who we are, where we come from, and what the purpose of life is. Fasting allows us to move away from worldly concerns and to consider matters of the soul.
I encourage each of you to try fasting in the next couple of weeks. Let me know how it goes and what your experiences have been.
