Why is humility important in fasting?

Humility plays a vital role in fasting, as it is meant to reflect a contrite and broken spirit before God. In Isaiah 58, the Lord critiques the outward practices of fasting that lack sincerity and are performed for selfish reasons. True fasting should stem from a heart that acknowledges its dependence on God, embodying the humility that Jesus displayed in His earthly ministry. Only through genuine humility can a believer fast in a manner that honors God, for the act of fasting devoid of true heart intention is mere hypocrisy.