Have you ever earnestly fasted for something or someone and then didn’t get the outcome you wanted?
If so, you may have asked yourself, “What’s the point? Why fast if it doesn’t make a difference?”
On the Sunday on Monday podcast, host Tammy Hall shares with Dr. Donald W. Parry, a Brigham Young University professor of Hebrew, what she learned upon finding herself in this very situation.
Fasting for a Miracle
When Tammy was teaching seminary many years ago, one of her students, Madeline Hales, developed a sudden and severe illness.
“[She] was just so adored by so many students,” Tammy explains. “She was a delight.”
Desperately worried, Madeline’s friends organized a school-wide fast for any Church members who wanted to participate, and the turnout was incredible.
“I joined the fast because she was my student,” Tammy says. “Many of the students would come into the seminary building throughout the day just to talk, just to have a place where they could feel safe. … I was shocked by how many students fasted. … These kids were determined to do a full 24-hour fast ... that this sweet little girl would live.”
But near the end of the fast, Tammy received a phone call from Madeline’s dad at the hospital, informing her that Madeline had passed away.
“I remember hanging that phone up [feeling] just so sad and also a little bit angry, like, ‘Heavenly Father, this could’ve been the fast of the century. This could’ve been the thing that would restore faith in every teenager who’s taking the time to fast,’” Tammy recalls.
Tammy felt especially conflicted because Madeline’s dad had asked her to speak at the funeral, and she had no idea what she’d say. She felt upset on behalf of all the teenagers who had prayed for Madeline’s recovery.
But Tammy agreed to speak, and in preparation for the funeral, she fasted and prayed again.
The Blessings of a True Fast
As she worked on her talk, Tammy studied Isaiah 58, a chapter listing the beautiful blessings that come from a true fast. Dr. Parry explains these blessings in depth on the podcast, using his book A New Translation of Isaiah.
His translation of Isaiah 58:8–9 reads:
“Then will your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing will speedily sprout up. Your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the Lord will be your rearguard.
“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; then you will cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’”
Dr. Parry sheds light on the blessing of health, saying: “You [might ask], ‘Is this physical healing when I’m sick?’ Maybe, maybe not. Because sometimes the Lord allows us to get sick, and then we pass away. So, this might be an eternal blessing about the Resurrection.”
The list of blessings continues through verse 12, promising protection from darkness, continual guidance, and the power to repair generations of broken families.
Tammy remembers reading these verses before the funeral and feeling that Madeline hadn’t been blessed. But she recalls the Spirit then teaching her, “She may not have been, but every one of these kids who fasted [has] received the blessings of the fast.”
Instead of focusing on the physical healing that Madeline didn’t receive, Tammy spoke about the spiritual blessings the students experienced from fasting. “My entire talk was listing miracle by miracle,” Tammy says. “I said, ‘I know that you didn’t get what you want, but I can assure you that years down the road, you will look at this moment and this experience and know that God lives and know that miracles still exist.’ …
“That moment has changed my life forever. Because, like we’ve talked about, sometimes the law of the fast doesn’t give you what you want, but I do believe that the blessings of fasting will help you want what you get.”
This conversation is just a glimpse into Tammy and Dr. Parry’s deep dive into Isaiah 58. And while the Sunday on Monday podcast is usually premium content for subscribers, we’re giving LDS Living readers special access to the entire episode for free!
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