Removing the Miserable from Fasting - Spiritual Disciplines Part 2

Lisa Harper's Back Porch Theology

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Talk Radio, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.8 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 7 September 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology we’re talking about the spiritual discipline of fasting – the willingness to forgo food, or social media, or some other physical or emotional comfort in order to focus more of our attention and affection on God. One of my favorite ancient theologians, Thomas A’Kempis, wrote this in his classic book “The Imitation of Christ”: True peace of heart therefore is found by resisting our passions, not by obeying them. Our Savior is the only One who can master us without abusing us. And sometimes, allowing ourselves to feel physical hunger pains is what prompts us to lean more fully into Jesus to satisfy the spiritual hunger in our hearts and minds. We’re diving in pretty deep today y’all, so please grab a tall glass of something refreshing, along with your Bible and a notebook or sticky pad and come hang out on the porch with us. We’re so grateful we get to spend this time with you.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Access more.
0:08.5	Today's conversation on Backport's Theology is going to be like this darling pair of platform
0:13.6	shoes I just bought on sale.
0:15.8	It's probably going to pinch a little bit, but we'll totally be worth it in the long run. Because we're talking
0:22.1	about the spiritual discipline of fasting, the willingness to forego food or social media, or
0:29.4	some other physical or emotional comfort in order to focus more of our attention and affection
0:35.1	on God. One of my favorite ancient theologians, Thomas
0:39.6	Akimps, wrote this in his classic book, The Imitation of Christ. True peace of heart,
0:46.1	therefore, is found by resisting our passions, not by obeying them. Modern author and theologian
0:53.4	Richard Foster, whose book The Celebration of
0:56.3	Discipline, rekindled our interest in spiritual formation in the late 1970s, he wrote this. More than any
1:04.2	other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true
1:10.2	disciple who longs to be transformed
1:12.3	into the image of Jesus Christ. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things,
1:18.8	but in fasting, these things surface. In other words, paying attention to what we crave can keep it
1:26.4	from enslaving us.
1:28.3	Another theologian I deeply respect, Dr. Ed T. Welch,
1:32.3	explained in his book Addictions, A Banquet in the Grave,
1:36.3	that all addictions are ultimately a disorder of worship.
1:40.3	If we don't choose to put Jesus in the biggest hole in our soul, we'll attempt to fill
1:46.5	that hole with other relationships or substances that usually end up controlling us. Our Savior is
1:53.6	the only one who can master us without abusing us. And sometimes allowing ourselves to feel
	...

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