Matthew 6:16-18 "Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."
There are many ways to look at fasting today. Some abstain from food on certain days of the week or at certain seasons of the year. Others fast intermittently, choosing a limited number of hours each day when they can eat. Still others consider it fasting when they give up only certain foods for a period of time. One thing is clear; fasting requires that we make sacrifice.
The Apostle Paul instructed us that we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Jesus said to follow Him, we had to deny ourselves daily (Luke 9:23). From a human standpoint, we might resent these strictures in our life. But Jesus said that His yoke was easy, His burden was light, and it would lead to rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29).
Giving up the desires of the flesh to serve our loving Redeemer is not always easy. However, it is always possible because He told us to. There is joy in sacrificing ourselves to the service of our Father through our Lord, Jesus Christ. There is great rejoicing when the Lord speaks to us through the Holy Spirit and declares, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Our appearance and conversation should be one of joy and thanksgiving. If we act as though serving the Lord is some grievous burden to impress men with our piety, then we will not find the true joy of sacrificing ourselves to Him. When we seek to gain the attention of men so that they might speak well of us because of our obvious “suffering,” then that is all we will gain. When we serve with joy and thanksgiving and reflect that in our countenance then God is glorified and we are edified.
Dear ones, we should never let those things that we surrender to fasting (whether food, or the way we dress, or the things we do) appear as a hardship in our lives. We have never given up the glory of Heaven to come and live on earth. We have never given EVERYTHING to save people who despised us. Whatever we may sacrifice to God, be assured it is our reasonable service!