A Message for Daniel-Fasters

(Written for January / Veganuary 2020 – Edited in May 2020)

Whether you’re a follower of Christ taking part in this year’s Daniel Fast, trying to adopt a plant-based diet this Veganuary or simply detoxing from the holiday season. I ask that we all stay mindful of what it truly means to fast and diet.

As we fast, I urge everyone to stay mindful of what we’re trying to abstain from and what we’re inspired by. In Chapter 1 of the Book of Daniel, the aim was to avoid being defiled by the King’s “royal food”, which in this day and age translates into being tainted by the currents of excessive consumer culture. These currents can taint us by distracting us from being in harmony with God. So, as we fast, let’s not simply focus on what we’re going without. Instead, let this spiritual exercise remind us to stay humble and be mindful of what we’re being fed; like Daniel, let’s aim for good food: for our bodies, for our thoughts and for our spirits.

As we fast, I advise everyone to be mindful of our temptations: our hunger-pangs for bread, thirst for caffeine and our cravings for sugar & meat. Let us remember that this exercise is not meant to hurt us, but reveal to us what it is that we truly hunger, thirst and crave for: spiritual fulfillment and satisfaction.

I pray that through this short period of fasting we develop a hunger & thirst for goodness and a craving for righteousness; I pray that we develop a craving for living bread and water. (John 6:51 & John 4:10)

On the other hand, as we diet and detox, I advise that we also stay mindful that adopting plant-based eating & drinking is one piece of the ethical puzzle, a fragment of the bigger picture. This ethical puzzle is one where human attitudes and actions are in sync with our core values in life; this bigger picture is actually a living mural where human beings prioritise and take responsibility for personal & collective health, animal welfare and the Earth’s conservation through consumption choices & habits (viz. food & drink, cosmetic & fashion and transport choices).

Finally, I hope all of us – whether fasting, dieting or detoxing – see the holistic benefits that these practices have on our physical, mental and spiritual lives. I pray that we all manage to see better versions of ourselves and carry this with us for the rest of 2020.