Valentine’s Day is the beginning of the Lenten season. While many people do not celebrate Lent, billions of people around the world enter into a time of fasting. What is Lent? It is a time period of 40 days leading up to Resurrection Sunday where Christians reflect on Christ’s sacrifice with sacrifices of their own. This is not a time of earning salvation through works, but a time to humble one’s self before the Lord, so he can do a work in your life and bring about his will in you. Lent should be a focused time of self-reflection, repentance of sin and drawing near to the Lord Jesus through prayer, bible reading and Christian service. For many Christians in Western culture, fasting is practically unknown. Here are a few points on fasting:
1. It is a personal a private commitment between you and the Lord. It is not to be shared with other people. Jesus said “when you fast” not to do it as a hypocrite does to be seen by men and praised. It is clear that we should fast in secret, without the knowledge of others for the purpose of gaining approval. Keep it between you and God.
2. Fasting in the Bible was generally from food. There are several ways to fast, many people will fast from food for a certain time period in the day, like till 4pm. Others will avoid fancy or favorite foods like Daniel did for 21 days. He just ate plain foods and drank water.
3. Fasting can also be from things that distract us from the Lord.
4. Fasting should not just be an abstaining from food, but also from fighting and arguing. It is a time when we are aligning our hearts with God’s heart.
5. Isaiah 58 says that fasting should result in the poor being helped and the captive being set free. Our goal should be his goal. Not only should we abstain from food, sin and distractions, we should seek God for what to do that will bring him glory. Perhaps find a ministry to give financially to, or find a person to bless with a meal, or a lonely elderly or shut in person to visit to show God’s love to.
Whatever you do, it should be prayerfully considered and kept between you and God. So, SHhhhhhh….. don’t tell everyone on social media how hard it is to not eat your favorite chocolate. Don’t lose your reward over complaining on social media. 
May God bless this Lent season of seeking the Lord.
Revealed Ministries 