Isaiah 58

1. Call out with the throat! Do not spare. Lift up you voice like the trumpet! And show my people their rebellion, and their sins to the house of Jacob."

I am struck by the original Hebrew in verse one.
גָּרוֹן
garown (gä·rōn): the throat, giving forth rough sounds (from the root word garar)
גָּרַר
garar (gä·rar'): to drag off roughly, to bring up the cud (an onomatopoeiac word)

It just strikes me that this was literally groaning aloud. The seriousness of certain situation is so intense that when we speak it is not in a calm, smooth voice but in gut-wrenching sobs or utterances.

3&4. 'Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?' Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers. Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.

If I am fasting and laying myself open to the Lord am I doing it for the right reason?

Jesus talked about the Pharisees in Matthew 23:5

But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men, for they broaden their phylactories, and lengthen the tassels of their garments.

Jesus also tells in Matthew 6:16

And when you fast, do not be as the hypocrites, darkening the face, for they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly I say to you that they have their reward.

Here in Isaiah, even more than the avoidance of public spectacle, our hearts need to be right. Even if nobody knows of your fasting ...

Am I fasting and laying before the Lord as a way of saying, "Hey! Look at me God. I'm putting myself in discomfort for you. Did you see me? Do I get something for my discomfort now?"

Is it a checklist item, "Okay, I did my fast. What's next?"

Am I taking pleasure in the discomfort of the fast as a form of pride?

If I am fasting it should be a truly humbling experience, done as a sacrifice of love to my Lord. A way of putting Him above all else.

In writing this I know that I have never had a pure fast.