Doctrinal Focus: Lent & Sin
Lent is the 40 day period leading up to Easter Sunday. This is a time of preparation as we together reflect on the significance of Christ’s substitutionary work on the cross and his defeat of the forces of evil and death. Traditionally, many in the church have incorporated the practice of fasting over these weeks as a means of building anticipation for Easter Sunday. As we walk through this season of Lent, we as a church, want to draw our attention to the cross through this practice of fasting together. Corporately, we want to demonstrate sorrow over our sin and look forward to the day of celebrating Christ’s glorious resurrection.
The season of Lent is a time of contemplation on the cross of Christ. As we reflect on Jesus’s sacrifice for us, we are confronted with the nature of our own sinfulness. Ever since the sin of Adam, we have lived in a fallen and broken world, marred by wickedness and death. As a fallen humanity, we are sinful both by our nature and our actions - following in the same footsteps as our first parents. Fundamentally, all sin can be classified as idolatry. In the words of Romans 1:25, sin is exchanging the truth about God for a lie and worshipping and serving the creature rather than the Creator.
Every sin that we commit is rooted in our misplaced trust and disordered desires which cause us to exalt other things above God. This all flows downstream from a breaking of the first commandment - having other gods besides the Lord. Our idols can be ourselves (our comfort, our happiness, our success), but they could also be others. The key to identifying our idols is recognizing what we focus on more than the Lord - Where do we spend our time? Where do we spend our money? What makes us anxious when it is threatened? The practice of fasting can help identify our idols as we set aside comforts (potential idols) and redirect this time/attention to the Lord. In this practice, we allow fasting to both reveal and remedy; fasting will reveal the things that have mastery over us (food, TV, social media, etc.) and it will remedy this idolatry by increasing our earnestness in prayer – asking God to be satisfied in Him alone.
Yes, we are all sinners and our hearts are desperately sick. But the beauty of the gospel is that Christ died to save sinners, and he has promised to satisfy the longings of our hearts if we will put our faith and trust in him alone.
Disciplined Practice: Fasting
So how then do we practically acknowledge the reality of sin in our lives? Throughout the Bible, we see the people of God fasting to ensure that nothing in their lives has a stranglehold on their affections. Since the fourth century, the Church has referred to this particular manifestation of sin as gluttony (i.e. a failure to trust God’s provision). Obviously, gluttony is first associated with a difficulty of saying “no” to food. But in 2025, it is probably more common to experience a “gluttony of distractions.” Socially acceptable addictions like scrolling on our phones, vegging out with screens, and watching the news are all too common. Likewise, good things such as work, cleaning, caring for others, physical fitness, and studying can even become a compulsive distraction from what is most important - seeking the Lord and spending time with His people. Here are four reasons to fast from something by Dr. James Wilhoit of Wheaton College:
It has gotten in the way of our walking with God
By leaving these things aside we might be able to focus more closely on God
It has become a system of our idolatry
(Fasting) can create a space that has been filled by business and distractions
By fasting, we reprioritize what is most important in our lives. Fasting from chocolate or Netflix or going to the gym isn’t meant to declare that these things are bad; it’s meant to declare that these things aren’t ultimate.
So what should we fast from? A simple approach is to pick a specific food or something you intake (e.g. sweets, meat, caffeine) that you simply enjoy or have had difficulty saying “no” to recently. You could also select an app on your phone, or regular evening time activity like surfing the internet/social media. You can even fast from a particular pattern in your life (staying up late, shopping, or running). You’ll want to prayerfully ask God about what has gotten in the way of your devotion to Him, and then figure out how you can wisely say “no” to that thing for the period of Lent.
Directed Affections
In all areas of life, it is more effective to pursue something rather than trying to avoid its opposite. For example, we cannot practically improve at becoming less selfish; we only become aware of our selfishness as we pursue generosity. Ironically, we often think of holiness in terms of not sinning (i.e. don’t do this or don’t do that). However, Dallas Willard argues that “Holiness is doing the right thing at the right time.” This is how we are attempting to orient our affections in Lent through fasting. We are not so much as trying to avoid sinning as we are trying to pursue righteousness.
Thus, it is helpful to use the freed up time from our fasting for prayer and communion with God. Skipping a meal (or other activity), gives us more time to pray - listening to God, engaging with His Word, and interceding for others. As Oswald Chambers says, “The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have perfect and complete oneness with Him.” Every time you are reminded about the thing you are fasting from, or feel the pain of saying “no” to your desire during Lent, use it as a nudge to pray.
The links between Lent, fasting, and grief are inescapable. Grief is the experience of loss, and fasting involves willfully losing something for a time. So fasting during Lent will involve grief. But grief always comes with gratitude. In fact, you cannot actually grieve without holding on to at least a little gratitude. Grieving without gratitude would be more akin to hopelessness, which is not the aim of Lent or fasting, nor is it something God desires for us. So, if during this season you find that you are becoming depressed (i.e. hopeless), then consider stopping, or at least talking over your experiences with your small group. You may need encouragement and a reorienting of direction.
Potential Spiritual Pitfalls
Traditionally the Church has skipped fasting on Sundays during Lent. This is because we can even become addicted to spiritual disciplines, which means that we even need “breaks” from our breaks. Moderation is key. The point of all of this is to gently reorder our devotion toward the Lord, not to martyr ourselves. You cannot earn the Lord’s attention, or affection by participating in fasting; it is a practice rooted in His grace which we undertake for His glory.
At a deep level, we all know we should be perfect, whether we’re religious or not. We’re all under the law. Religious people attempt to meet this need for perfection through religious practices. In our context, we try to fulfill this need through self-optimization, career advancement, and the constant search for the next thing that might finally fulfill us.
May we use the practice of fasting to find true rest, rest from striving to accomplish enough to please God and others. Let’s consciously direct our fasting toward the specific struggle for control that resonates with most of us. May we find rest under Him who is gentle and humble in heart, whose yoke is easy, and whose burden is light, offering us life to the full.
Obviously, there is no shame in not participating in this discipline; your current life may be difficult enough already to wisely add any more loss. However, it is clear from scripture that people wanting to grow closer to God fasted regularly - figures such as Moses, David, Anna, Esther, Daniel, Elijah, Paul, Jesus, and others. Though it may be awkward to discuss at first, we encourage small groups to consider fasting together (the particular sacrifices between group members can be different).
Try for something moderately challenging, though wise and attainable. If you have never fasted from food before, it would not be wise to try and give up food for forty days out of the gate. If you struggle with dietary or other eating-related issues, then we would encourage you to fast from something other than food. Ask the Lord what will most reorder your affections on him, and go with that.
Small Group Discussion
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18).
Notice that Jesus assumes his listeners will fast. What else do we learn from this passage?
Consider Matthew 9:15. What does this verse teach us about our reason for fasting?
Humbly share in your group if you have ever tried fasting (either during Lent or at other times).
What led you to engage in this practice?
What did you learn through this exercise?
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to try fasting today?
If fasting is something you would like to try, ask for encouragement and accountability from your group.
Pray as a small group that we would be a people who long for God.