The basic idea of a fast is to refrain from something in order to free up our hearts, minds and time for greater attention to God and God’s ways in the world. It is meant, in the experience of its difficulty, to focus our attention away from ourselves and towards the practice of prayer and presence with God. It isn’t an easy thing to do! And with small children, food-based fasting is not necessarily a good idea. So here are are a few non-food or simplified food fasting ideas:

Jenn Giles Kemper, Lent circle image copyright: 2020 Sacred Ordinary Days (https://sacredordinarydays.com/)

Give up noise and distraction. Make your room a “desert” like the desert Jesus was in when he prayed. Remove excess clutter, books, posters, electronics from your room. Now go to your room and do nothing. Try just lying on your bed or relaxing on the floor with no toys, games, books, or electronics! What do you hear? How do you feel? Now is a good time to listen for God.
Give up a home comfort so you can gain a deeper sense of what it could mean to be homeless. Give up your soft bed and sleep on the floor.
Give up a sweet drink. Drink only water to remind ourselves that some places have no clean water available and many people have to travel miles to find water.
Give up a flavorful dinner. Have only plain rice one night for dinner. As you eat, remember the people who can’t afford to eat healthy home cooked dinners but must rely on food banks or donations to eat each week.
Give up something that will benefit God’s creation. Give up unnecessary car trips and walk or bike to school. Give up electricity and turn off lights you don’t use. Give up long warm showers and use cooler water and set a timer for a 2-minute shower.

Lenten Practice: Fasting