🌿 Fasting That Feeds the Spirit: Reflections for the Final Quarter of the Year

As we are navigating the final quarter of the year, everywhere you look, someone’s talking about a lock-in. The message often sounds like: “Secure the bag,” “Push to the finish line,” or “End the year strong.”

But what if, instead of locking into hustle, we locked in with Heaven?
What if our final quarter wasn’t about chasing, but consecrating — our time, our desires, and our hearts back to God?

For me, this season has been one of thanksgiving and reflection. The year has gone by quickly, yet so much has happened — prayers answered, unexpected grace, new lessons, divine pardons, and sustenance that could only be explained by the faithfulness of God.

So as I step into this last stretch of the year, I’m reminded that fasting isn’t just about abstaining from food — it’s about feasting on His presence. It’s an opportunity to pause, to seek, to realign, and to prepare the soil of our hearts for whatever 2026 and beyond may hold.

🕊️ Fasting That Pleases God

Biblical fasting has always been about intimacy, not performance. In Isaiah 58, God says:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice… to share your food with the hungry and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
— Isaiah 58:6–7

In other words, fasting is less about what you withhold and more about what you offer — your attention, your obedience, your compassion, and your heart.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing with friends in my accountability group about fasting as a spiritual discipline that feeds your spirit rather than your flesh.

When you fast, the hunger feels different. The energy feels different. You start to realise that true strength doesn’t come from the food on your plate, but the presence that fills the room when you pray.

🌸 Three Layers of the Fast

Here’s how I’ve come to understand fasting — through the mind, the physical, and the practical.

1. The Mind — Set Your Intention

Before you begin, ask: Why am I fasting?
Is it to seek clarity, to deepen intimacy, to intercede for others, or simply to thank God for how far He’s brought you?
When your “why” is rooted in worship, every moment of hunger becomes an act of devotion.

2. The Physical — Honour Your Body

If you’re fasting between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m., remember that this is not starvation; it’s surrender.
When I’m in the office, I often take a prayer walk during lunchtime. I put on my headphones, and it looks like I’m on the phone — but really, I’m on the hotline to Heaven.
Sometimes I even ask, “Lord, I’ve got a spare five pounds. Lead me to someone I can bless.”

And when I work from home, I have this little ritual: I take out a plate, turn it upside down, and leave it on the counter. It’s my way of saying, “Lord, my body is under Your submission — I will not feed the flesh today.”

3. The Practical — Walk in Grace

Between our morning and evening prayers, we can ask ourselves:

“Did my fast please God today?”

This question isn’t about guilt; it’s about grace. It’s an invitation to grow.

If you journal, write it down. Let it become a moment of reflection. In my Nourish My Spirit devotional and fasting guide, I included space for these reflections — so that each day’s answer becomes a prayer point for strength for the next.

Remember: fasting shouldn’t be easy. That’s why Esther said, “If I perish, I perish.” Because fasting, when done in faith, invites us into holy dependence.

🍞 Fasting as Nourishment

Whether you’re doing a dry fast, a Daniel fast, or fasting for the first time — do it with joy.

Take delight in meal prepping with intention. Break your fast with warmth and thanksgiving. Don’t rush to “make up for lost meals.” Instead, savour each bite as worship — because even the act of eating can be holy when done with gratitude.

And if it feels difficult, ask God for the grace to stretch. Start where you are — maybe fasting until 6 p.m. this week, 6:30 p.m. next week — and soon you’ll find that prayer fills you so much that hours go by unnoticed.

🌾 Reflection

As the year draws to a close, may this be your prayer:

“Lord, may my fast draw me nearer to You. May I trade striving for surrender, busyness for stillness, and hunger for Your presence. Teach me to fast in a way that pleases You.”

✨ If you’d like guidance on fasting, journaling, or nourishing your spirit through faith and food, follow @nourishmyspirit on Instagram and TikTok — a space where faith, food, and wholeness meet for the journey ahead.