40 Days of Prayer and Fasting
61 Things You Could Do During the Fast
Most of us have something we do that we do but we wonder if we should stop or cut back. Most of us have something we don’t do, but we wonder if God is calling us to pick up the practice. A fast is a fabulous time to give some new behaviours a go.
You may or may not continue after the 40 days are completed. But after doing something (or saying “no” to something) for 40 days, you will have acquired new habits that could change your life if you’re willing. Below are some ideas to bring to God.
Note: I’m not saying you should aim to do all 61 things! Quite the contrary. What’s life-changing is when you decide to do one or two of these things every day for 40 days.
Things to Stop
Thnks that can have an addictive effect
1. Alcohol
2. Snacking
3. One meal a day
4. Two meals a day
5. Soda
6. Chocolate
7. Shopping
8. Sweets
9. Meat
10. Junk food
11. Fast food
12. Coffee
13. Cream and sugar in your coffee
14. Hot food
15. Salting your food
16. Gum
17. Social media
18. Gossip
19. Pornography
20. Masturbation
21. Smoking
22. Unedifying books/television/movies/music
23. Sarcasm
24. Hot showers
25. Staying up late–give yourself a bedtime!
26. Internet use
27. youtube
28. Checking your smartphone when you’re with people
Comforts and crutches
The classic way to fast is to go without food for a while. It may be that God is calling you to miss a meal every week, day, or all your meals. I personally have noticed that simply missing a meal or two every once and a while has borne excellent fruit in my life. However, it may be that there’s a different comfort you need to give up. Consider the following list of comforts you might want to halt for 40 days in order to discover life without them.
29. Three meals a day
30. Driving when you could walk
31. Idle curiosity (e. g. try not googling every question you have. If it doesn’t matter, be content not to know).
32. Checking your post stats
Social and emotional things
A fast is also a time to reflect on how we relate to others. Below are a few social and emotional behaviours that might be the life change that God is asking you to experiment with.
33. Complaining–try accepting the cross you’re given instead of objecting that you’d rather choose your own.
34. Negativity
35. Being snarky or short or cold or whatever it is you do that makes talking to you aact of charity
36. Arguing
37. Judging people
38. Anger
39. Comparing yourself with others
40. Lying
41. Makeup
Things to Start
42. Prayer
43. A chapter of the Bible a day. (You can get through all 4 Gospels if you read 2 chapters a day and don’t skip Sundays.)
44. Listen to an audio bible every time you go to work
45. Take communion every day
46. Switch to listening to worship music
47. Listening to an edifying podcast
48. 10 minutes of Christian meditation a day
49. 20 minutes of reading a Christian book a day
50. Read a Christian blog
51. Don’t turn on music while you drive: pray instead
52. Apologize to an appropriate brother or sister
53. Confess your sins to an appropriate brother or sister
54. List 5 things you’re grateful for every day
55. Journal
56. Blog
57. Be intentional about your time–make a schedule and stick to it
58. Go to an art museum or a botanical garden once a week and rejoice in the beauty
59. Pick a fruit of the spirit to ask for each day. Expect to see the Lord answer.
60. Spend 10 minutes each night talking to the Lord about your day–thanking him for the good and the bad
61. Lectio Divina (if you don’t know what this is, google it)
May the Lord bless our fasts!
