“But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:17-18)
Does this ever happen to you? That you want people to see what you are doing and to say so? It’s okay to long for encouragement and affirmation, but Jesus says that in your life with God there are things that you should keep between you and God. Jesus already mentioned praying alone in your room (Matthew 6:6). The same is true of fasting (Matthew 6:16-18). Fasting means denying yourself food (or other things) for a period of time in order to draw closer to God. Here Jesus meant fasting as a sign of repentance and as an aid to prayer. There were pious people who covered their faces with ashes and dirt to demonstrate that they were fasting. They wanted to gain the approval and admiration of others. “What a strong believer he is! Look, he’s fasting again!”
Just pretend you are going to a party, Jesus said. Smell nice and dress nicely. God sees what your heart is longing for, who you are when you are alone with Him and what you say to Him there. It is God Himself, not the admiration of others, who helps you grow in your relationship with Him.
Do you ever fast? How does it benefit your relationship with God?