Fasting isn’t just an ancient practice or a modern health trend. In the eyes of Jesus, it’s a sacred discipline meant to shift our hunger from the physical to the spiritual. In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus says something subtle but telling: “When you fast…” Not if. When.
That single word reveals a foundational truth: Jesus expected fasting to be part of the believer’s journey. But as with prayer and giving, the motive matters just as much as the action.
Fasting Is Not a Performance
Jesus didn’t mince words. He warned against looking “gloomy like the hypocrites.” The religious leaders of His day turned fasting into theatre. They disfigured their faces, paraded their suffering, and looked for applause rather than intimacy with God.
Sound familiar?
Today, our platforms may look different—social media posts, humble brags, or even exaggerated testimonies—but the temptation remains: make it about you.
Jesus flips that script. He says: “Anoint your head and wash your face.” In today’s terms: take a shower, look normal, and keep it between you and God. Because the power of fasting lies in the private surrender, not the public spectacle.
The Heart of Fasting: Soul Fattening
The early Puritans had a term for this kind of fasting: soul fattening. It’s a beautiful image. You’re not just skipping meals—you’re feeding your spirit.
In a world full of noise, fasting quiets the distractions. It teaches us to depend not on bread, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). It reminds us that our deepest needs aren’t physical, but spiritual. As our stomachs empty, our souls fill.
But not if we’re pretending. Not if we’re using fasting as a badge of honor. Not if our goal is spiritual attention rather than spiritual alignment.
Cultural Christianity and the Hypocrisy Trap
This temptation is especially dangerous in places where church attendance is cultural. In the “Bible Belt,” where churches dot nearly every corner, it’s easy to confuse religion with relationship.
We can show up every Sunday, lift our hands in worship, even lead small groups—and still miss Jesus entirely.
That’s why this teaching is so urgent. Jesus wasn’t speaking to atheists or outsiders. He was speaking to religious people—people who believed they were right with God, but who had built a life of faith without a foundation of truth.
And Jesus delivers one of the scariest warnings in all of Scripture: “Depart from me… I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23)
You can grow up in church. You can marry a pastor. You can recite entire books of the Bible. But if your faith is borrowed, inherited, or just performative, it’s not real.
Faith Must Be Personal
There’s no such thing as secondhand salvation. You can’t inherit someone else’s walk with Jesus. Your granddad being a preacher won’t save you. Your parents dragging you to church won’t sustain you. Eventually, you have to own your faith.
Jesus sees right through the act. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
That’s good news if your heart is truly His. But if you’ve been playing a role, that verse should cause some reflection. What does God see when He looks at your heart?
From Hypocrisy to Loyalty: A Shift in Focus
As Jesus continues in Matthew 6, He shifts from confronting hypocrisy to questioning loyalty. He’s no longer just asking what we’re doing—but why we’re doing it.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:19-20)
This is one of the most practical heart checks in all of Scripture: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus is saying: look at your calendar. Look at your bank account. Where your time and money go, that’s where your real priorities are. It’s not about what you say you value. It’s about what you actually do.
What Is Your Treasure?
For many of us, our treasure is control. We worship a god spelled with a lowercase “g”—our comfort, our schedule, our ambition. We chase success, praise, and security, thinking that fulfillment is just one more paycheck or promotion away.
But it never is. Because stuff doesn’t satisfy.
You can buy the house, the boat, the vacation. You can build the business and earn the applause. But at the end of the day, those trophies gather dust. As one pastor said, “Your life’s work might end up in a dumpster.”
That’s not morbid—it’s reality. Earthly treasures fade. Heaven’s treasures last.
Two Lifestyles, Two Rewards
Jesus draws a clear line:
- Earthly treasure: Temporary, fragile, addictive, self-focused.
- Heavenly treasure: Eternal, secure, fulfilling, God-glorifying.
And this isn’t just about materialism. Treasures can be anything we prioritize more than God: reputation, career, even family. If it pulls your heart away from Christ, it’s in the wrong place.
A New Way to Live—and Fast
So how do we reclaim fasting as it was meant to be? Here’s a practical approach to fasting that reflects the heart of Jesus:
- Start with the “why.” Ask God to reveal your motives. Are you seeking Him—or just hoping others notice?
- Fast from more than food. Consider social media, entertainment, even speech. Anything that consumes your attention can be surrendered.
- Fill the gap with God. Don’t just remove—replace. Use the space to pray, read Scripture, worship, and listen.
- Keep it private. Share with a trusted spiritual mentor if needed, but resist the urge to broadcast it.
- Let it form you. Fasting isn’t just an event. It’s a shaping process. Let it change how you think, what you want, and who you trust.
A Final Reflection: Who Knows?
Jesus says your Father “who sees in secret will reward you.” That’s the beauty of real faith: it’s lived in the quiet. It’s not for likes. It’s not for applause. It’s not for trophies. It’s for God.
And here’s the ironic twist: the more privately we fast, pray, and give—the more publicly God works in our lives.
You don’t have to be a stage Christian. You just have to be a sincere one.
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