If you broke your fast early, skip the shame and learn from it instead. Fasting works like a flight simulator for temptation, showing you how you react when hungry or tired. Use the slip-up to build stronger discipline next time.
If you broke your fast, don't beat yourself up. It's about progress, not perfection. Many believers feel condemned if they don't finish a fast. In fact, one time a friend of mine forgot that they were fasting and by sheer impulse reached for a chocolate muffin that was just sitting on the counter. The moment they took the bite, they remembered, I'm supposed to be fasting. And while you should work on strengthening your discipline and you should grow to complete fasts, you don't have to carry shame if you miss it. I often refer to fasting as the temptation simulator. I visited a pastor I was recently visiting with a friend of mine who has his pilot's license. In his home, he has a flight simulator set up so that he can practice his piloting skills. The flight simulator makes you feel like you're actually flying a plane. Wanting to show me the basics of flying, my friend had me sit in the pilot's chair. I put on my headset and took hold of the controls. Then, upon trying to land, I crashed the digital plane, but no actual harm was done. You see, when you're fasting, you can learn several things about your flesh. How impulsive you are, how disciplined you are, have against strong desire. One of the often overlooked benefits of fasting is that it shows you how you behave when you're tired, hungry, and irritated. So the next time you fast, learn about yourself what you can so that you can grow your strength against temptation. But don't condemn yourself if you fail the temptation simulator.
