How to Benefit From Fasting During Lent

Fasting during Lent is an ancient tradition carried forth by Christians who want to clarify their thoughts and elevate their relationship with God. An absence of kitchen duties frees up time for nourishing the soul with prayer. You can benefit from fasting by undertaking this sacrifice with a mindful and purposeful intent.

Instructions

1. Eat a simple meal of rice and beans. For many Christians, a Lenten fast means eating one full meal and abstaining from food for the rest of the day. Instead of preparing a lavish meal, eat a humble meal like one shared by the world's poor.

2. Raise your sense of awareness. Fasting produces hunger, which makes us stop and think about our condition. Take this time to consider the less fortunate in the world that experience hunger on a regular basis.

3. Ask for grace from God. When you fast, you purge your thinking from the sluggishness that heavy foods cause. Use this clear state to enhance prayer and reflection and to strengthen your bond with God.

4. Feel a sense of gratitude for God's gifts. When we fast for Lent, we commemorate the way Jesus sacrificed himself for our sins. In our fasting, we appreciate both the bounty of food we normally receive and the abundance of Christ's love for us.

5. Fill your normal mealtime preparation hours with family prayer time. Just as cooking for your family can be an act of love, so is praying together.

6. Conduct your fast with a sense of wonder and joy, rather than sadness and longing. Don't exude an appearance of suffering while fasting. God knows of your sacrifices, and fasting during Lent is about deepening your relationship with God.