Read Matthew 6:16-18 and do the exercises below:

• What is your experience with fasting? Have you had positive or negative experiences with this spiritual practice?
• What things in your life tend to distract you most from giving time and attention to your relationship with God? Food, entertainment, shopping, alcohol, gossip? What things do you tend to reach for first when you’re looking for comfort?
• Take some time to prayerfully consider fasting from something other than food. Pick something that tends to be an idol, an obsession, or an unhealthy escape from reality. Then, pick a length of time to abstain from that thing (1 day, 5 days, 10 days, etc.) and replace it with prayer time, either alone or with someone else.