Fast and Pray Oft

To my daughter,   

                The Savior has given us many ways that we can receive His help and grow closer to Him in this life. One of those great blessings is the opportunity we have to fast. This means that we go without food or water for a period of time and seek to draw closer to the Lord The word itself can seem like an oxymoron because the clock appears to move slowly—not fast—when we are hungry! But even though it can be uncomfortable to fast, it can be a powerful way to petition the Lord if we do it with the right attitude. I think the Book of Mormon helps us to understand what should accompany our fasting to make it meaningful. Consider these references to fasting and see what pattern you notice: 

·         “And he caused that the priests should assemble themselves together; and they began to fast, and to pray to the Lord their God that he would open the mouth of Alma” (Mosiah 27:22). Here the people were fasting for Alma who had lost the ability to speak and hear after having seen the angel.

·         “Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself” (Alma 5:46). That same Alma, after being converted, sought to know the truth of the things of the gospel for himself through fasting.

·         “They had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation…. They fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them” (Alma 17:3, 9). This was referring to Alma’s friends, the sons of Mosiah, who likewise spent much time fasting after their conversion to the Lord.

·         After a great battle in which many people were killed, Mormon recorded, “And now surely this was a sorrowful day; yea, a time of solemnity, and a time of much fasting and prayer” (Alma 28:6). “After they had buried their dead, and also after the days of fasting, and mourning, and prayer” (Alma 30:2). They dealt with the sorrow of war by fasting. 

·         “And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls” (Moroni 6:5). Here Moroni recorded that it was very common for the people of the Lord to fast for one another.

·         Similarly, at another time in their history the Nephites “were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God” (Alma 6:6).

·         When others became wicked and prideful, the righteous people “did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation” (Helaman 3:35).

·       Even after the Savior came, they still fasted to stay close to Him: “They had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord” (4 Nephi 1:12). 

Do you see what it is that always accompanies a fast? Every one of these references to fasting also records that they prayed. Fasting must always be done with sincere prayer to the Lord. We can certainly pray without fasting, but we can’t fast without praying. To try to fast without prayer is just going hungry and thirsty for no good reason. As we diligently seek the Lord through prayer, verbally and in our hearts, throughout our fast, He will hear us and bless us. I know that our family has been blessed through fasting, with healing and revelation and other miracles. I hope that you will not be afraid to fast but seek earnestly what you most desire through prayer as you fast. I love this invitation from Amaleki: “Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved” (Omni 1:26). May you and I always continue in fasting and praying, for we have help that we need from Him.  

Love,

Dad