A Breath Prayer of Faith

I do not believe everything I pray. This is one way I practice faith. Mine is not a faith of certainty but one of commitment (sometimes barely that). Especially on days when I am struggling to have any faith in myself, others or God, I turn to these verses. I read them and pause. Breathe. Read and pause. Breathing my way through each translation, trusting that God will accept my humble prayer of self-doubt as I commit to allowing the psalmist to speak for me while I breathe.

PSALM 139:14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

NIV

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God - you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

The Message

I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful - I know that very well.

CEB

I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well.

AMP

A Breath Prayer for Braving Gray Days

On days when life feels dull, gray and too ordinary, find a comfortable spot and breathe. Do a quick body scan and relax any tense spots in your body. As you can manage, breathe using this prayer.

Inhale slowly and steadily as you pray, “God, you are Creator of all.” Exhale slowly and steadily as you pray, “God your creation is marvelous and wondrously made.”

Or

Substitute “God, your creation is majestic.” ...on the inhale and “God, I am grateful for today.”...on the exhale.

Feeling bored?

Try this: Breathe on the inhale as you pray, “God, this is a day that you made.” Exhale as you pray, “Lord, I can rejoice and be glad in small, simple pleasures.”

Moving Beyond What You Want...

Virtually all spiritual traditions have created meditation practices. Often touted as a relaxation technique, in a world that desperately needs some calm, if it works for you - go for it!

But isn’t spirituality and recovery more about waking up?

What if prayer and meditation could do both? What if it could help us move beyond our preoccupations with what we want - our habitual ways of self-soothing? What if we could find what we need? What if we could become more fully human? More compassionate, accepting, forgiving and purposeful?

When I grow forgetful of the benefits prayer and meditation has gifted me over the years, it does not take long for me to receive much needed reminders. They don’t show up as texts or emails, they bubble up in sleepless nights, anxiety, irritability and hopelessness.

I often wonder what my mental health would be like if I had not once been, to quote Wallace, “ORDERED to pray”.

So then, let us ot be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 NIV

I have no authority to order anybody to do anything. But I invite you to join me in silent meditation and breathe. Here is a prayer I find myself using on days when life feels too hard and I want to avoid uncomfortable feelings. It’s a breath prayer:

Inhale slowly and steadily as you say, “God, I am made in your image.”

Exhale slowly and steadily as you say, “God, I am able to feel pain without perishing.”

OR

Inhale slowly and steadily as you say, “God, do not leave me.”

Exhale slowly and steadily as you say, “God, I will show up for my life, trusting you are here.”

OR

Inhale slowly and steadily as you say, “God, you know every hair on my head.”

Exhale slowly and steadily as you say, “God, I can pay attention to my life knowing you are with me and nothing is hidden from you.”

Let us pray.