A Higher and Holier Fast
Fasting, when observed with joy and joined with prayer and generosity, brings sweeter communion with the Lord and a deeper, more personal connection with Him.
My beloved brothers and sisters, I have prayerfully pondered the sacred blessings our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, offer us as we draw near to Them through sincere and faithful observance of the law of the fast. Therefore, this morning, from the bottom of my heart, I testify of the sanctifying spiritual power that flows into our lives as we seek to live this law in a higher and holier way. This divine pattern of devotion brings strength, guidance, peace, and divine help to sustain us throughout our mortal journey.
The Lord’s call to fast in these latter days is an echo of the message He gave through the Old Testament prophet Isaiah—a message of healing, covenant power, and divine blessing that continues to be offered to all of God’s children. In Isaiah chapter 58, the Lord lifted the vision of His covenant people beyond the outward observance of this law. He also revealed its divine purpose as an act of worship that shapes and refines our discipleship and draws us closer to Him.
Isaiah beautifully recorded the blessings promised to those who faithfully live this law:
“Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily. …
“Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.”
What a tender promise: light after darkness, healing after weariness, and the comforting assurance that when we call upon the Lord, He is near. President Joseph F. Smith taught that proper fasting “would … place the body in subjection to the spirit, and so promote communion with the Holy Ghost” and that “this law would bring [us] nearer to God.”
A sincere and faithful fast is accompanied by earnest and intentional prayer. As we lift our hearts to the Lord in humility, fasting becomes an expression of our desire to draw near to Him, communicate the true desires of our hearts, and understand His will for us. Through the union of fasting and prayer, our faith, love, and devotion to Him deepen. We become more humble and more aware of our complete dependence upon the Lord. Our hearts are softened, our souls become more receptive to the influence of the Holy Ghost, and we are better prepared to receive personal revelation and move forward along the covenant path.
This divine pattern finds its highest and holiest expression in the life of Jesus Christ. As in all things, the Savior did not merely teach divine principles—He exemplified them perfectly. Before His earthly ministry began, He withdrew into the wilderness and spent 40 days communing with His Father. He was the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh, and of all the things He could have done to prepare for His sacred mission, He chose to seek complete alignment with His Father’s will through earnest fasting and prayer. Spiritually fortified, the Savior triumphed over the temptations of the adversary, began His mortal ministry, and fulfilled His divine destiny as Redeemer of the world. His example teaches us that fasting and prayer may not remove every burden from our path, but they draw heaven near and endow us with divine power to overcome or endure whatever circumstances we may face, giving us the spiritual fortitude to remain faithful to the Father’s will.
Adopting this holy pattern of fasting is more than a physical test of restraint or a petition for specific blessings. It is an elevating expression of faith and trust in the Lord through which our hearts can be filled with rejoicing as we commune with Him more deeply. It is a way to align our desires with His purposes, and our expectations with His wisdom. Even when answers do not come in the way we expect, fasting and prayer help us develop greater confidence in the Lord, in our covenants with Him, and in His plan for our lives, as well as a deeper willingness to accept His will.
Through this holy law, the Lord also invites us to look beyond ourselves and turn our hearts toward His children. Isaiah taught that an acceptable fast helps us “to let the oppressed go free” and to “break every yoke.” The Prophet Joseph Smith once taught, “A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.” Thus, our fast becomes not only a personal act of devotion to God but also an outward expression of Christlike charity and love.
In our day, our desire to help “the oppressed go free” and “break every yoke,” as the Lord taught through the prophet Isaiah, finds tangible expression in generous fast offerings. Each contribution reflects a willing heart, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and a sincere desire to bless those in need. This spirit of generosity also reflects the Savior’s own example. He came down from heaven, dwelt among the children of men, and suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind … that he [might] know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” As we follow His perfect example by seeking to succor God’s children, our hearts are opened to the needs of others, and we become better prepared to minister in a more Christlike way.
Though our fast offerings may seem small and simple, they become consecrated expressions of compassion, concern, and service. As we give generously—not only for the benefit of those in need but also as an expression of our love for the Lord and our commitment to His work—we consecrate both our means and our time to Him. In doing so, we give more fully of ourselves to the building of the kingdom of God. As we embrace this spirit of consecration, the Lord guides and strengthens us to become instruments in His hands.
I have personally witnessed how the blessings of fasting often enter people’s lives quietly and tenderly—softening hearts, strengthening testimonies, sanctifying souls, and transforming lives. I have also seen sacred blessings come to those who turn their hearts toward God’s children through generous fast offerings. Personally, I have felt an increase of inspiration and revelation as I have sought to live this law with greater sincerity. Fasting, when observed with joy and joined with prayer and generosity, brings sweeter communion with the Lord and a deeper, more personal connection with Him.
My dear friends, I invite you to prayerfully ponder Isaiah’s teachings and more intentionally embrace the divine purpose of the law of the fast in a higher and holier way as part of our worship. As you do so, I promise, in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that miracles will come into your life. You will draw nearer to the Savior, receive strength to overcome your weaknesses, and become more sensitive to the needs of others. Through this divinely appointed practice, the Lord will sanctify us and pour His Spirit and blessings more abundantly into our lives.
I bear my solemn testimony that as we remember, restore, and more fully honor the sacred purpose of the law of the fast with sincere hearts, the Lord will fulfill the promises declared by Isaiah: our “light [shall] break forth as the morning”; our “health shall spring forth speedily”; then shall we “call, and the Lord shall answer”; we shall cry, and He shall say, “Here I am.” Of these things I bear my witness in His holy name, even Jesus Christ, amen.