Try This: Practical Ways to Experiment with Fasting

It's not too late to engage with Lent on a deeper level. And fasting might be the practice that opens the door.Hi, I'm Brad Coleman, the Campus Pastor at Christ Church Highland Park. This is our final devotion in this week's "Holy Habits" series on fasting. We've covered the biblical foundation, fasting as worship, and fasting as training in righteousness. But if you've never tried fasting before—or if it's been a while—you might be wondering: How do I actually do this?Today, I'm giving you practical suggestions to begin experimenting with fasting.In this devotion, we explore:The key to fasting: it doesn't work unless you're intentional. Every pang of hunger becomes a reminder—a trigger for prayer and worship.A simple approach: find a day that works for you. Some people fast from sundown to sundown. I fast from after dinner one night until dinner the next day.What to do when hunger hits: use it as a prompt to say, "Lord, I worship You. I surrender all to You. I need You above all else."Other ways to fast: it doesn't have to be food. During Lent, I remove all social media apps from my phone—and the NBA app (that one's tough for me!).The principle: fasting from something we enjoy is what makes it effective. Giving up something we already hate isn't the point. Fasting says, "This pleasure in my life is not master over me."If fasting is new for you, I encourage you to give it a try this Lent. Allow it to become part of what makes this season unique. You may find it as beneficial as I have in my own walk with the Lord.Thank you for joining us for this week's Holy Habits series. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you don't miss future devotionals!