You’ve been praying for days, weeks, even months, and you still have no one in sight. Discouraged, you wonder what else to do. A fast? Why not! But be careful, you have to do it the right way!
Fasting is much more than depriving yourself of food. If we do not fast with good intentions, we will not have the results we want. For example, if you see fasting as a way of forcing God to fulfill your desires, you are in error. God is not impressed by your sacrifices; what He desires is your heart and your obedience (1 Samuel 15:22). If you decide to deprive yourself of food to demonstrate to God how desperate you are to have what you long for, it is nothing but a hunger strike, and God does not allow himself to be manipulated.
The reason why we fast is to give us more time to seek the face of God. If you decide to skip meals, but you do not replace that time with prayer, you only on a diet. The only thing this will produce is weight loss!
Fasting food allows you to make the analogy between your physical hunger and the hunger of your spirit. This is a bit why fasting food is also popular. In addition, as we usually spend a good half hour to have a meal, it is a good amount of time to give to God. But you can also fast something other than food. You can choose to sacrifice activities that you give your time to. For example, you can fast from television, and replace that time by reading your Bible. Or, you can fast from social media: every minute you spend reading your friends’ messages, you can dedicate it to God. Some people decide to fast an hour of sleep. They get up an hour earlier to have more time with their Lord. Be creative!
Once your fast is chosen, you must decide to do it with good intentions. In Isaiah 58, God gives directions to His people on how to fast. This passage doesn’t talk about fasting to change your marital status, but certain principles from this passage can teach us how to set our heart during our time of fasting.
“To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free” (v.6 NKJV)
During your time with God (a time you have because you are fasting), make sure to forgive and stop holding grudges. Free (emotionally) the one that hurt you, especially in the context of a relationship.
“And that you break every yoke” (v.6 NKJV)
Several times in the New Testament, especially in the book of Romans, it is said that sin is slavery. Why not take the time, during your fasting, to ask God what sin should be removed from your life; What bad habit should you abandon to make you a more attractive candidate for a future husband or wife?
“Share your bread with the hungry…” (v.7 NKJV)
You want to get married, that’s fine, but God saved you for more than that. During your time with God, make sure to ask Him where He wants to use you. What service would He like you to do for Him? What is your calling? We are sometimes too focused on our own desires. When we fast, it is the perfect time to slow down our thoughts and put our priorities in the right place.
When we fast in this way, take the time to humble ourselves and ask God to transform and guide us, our prayers will be heard. These are the promises God gives to His people who fast in the right way:
- “Then your light shall break forth like the morning” What is more attractive than a someone who shines with the splendor of God!
- “Your healing shall spring forth speedily” What’s more appealing than a single who is healed emotionally!
- “And your righteousness shall go before you” What could be more appealing than a single with a good reputation!
- “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer” Isn’t what we all desire?
- “The Lord will guide you continually” We need His direction in our love life.
- “And satisfy your soul in drought” There are many arid moments when we are single. What a privilege to have this promise.
“And strengthen your bones” Fasting also forces us to rest, because we force ourselves to stop. With this rest comes a new strength, which will certainly be useful during our time of searching.
(Isaiah 58: 8-11 NKJV)
Taking a time to fast can make a difference in our time of being single, provided we do it for the right reasons and with a good disposition in our heart.