Do your days ever get so busy and fast-paced that you feel like you’re almost running out of breath? Has anything so shocking ever happened to you that it takes your breath away in the moment? Have you ever been so unmotivated that it almost feels like too much work to breathe? In each of these moments, I want to encourage you to just … pray. (Bet you thought I was going to say breathe, huh?) 

Prayer, having an actual conversation with God, is an incredible privilege for each of us, and I would suggest that it is the most powerful tool we have in creating true, lasting, life change in ourselves and others. There is no magic formula, no right or wrong way, no exact words to say or perfect tool to use, no exact posture to be in or even specific place to be, to have a conversation with God. But I offer one of the many ways to pray that I’ve found very useful and effective in my own life: “breath prayers.” 

What Are Breath Prayers?

A breath prayer is perhaps the simplest way to briefly interact with God and has the incredible ability to give us the balanced perspective we need in any given moment. Breath prayers are short, simple praises or requests to God, coinciding with a nice, deep breath. The words of the prayer aren’t really as important as the posture of your heart while you say them and breathe. There are some traditional breath prayers used by some in the church such as, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” based on Mark 10:47. But as with any prayer, there’s no specific words required. It could be, “Lord Jesus, give me strength for today,” or “Jesus, thank you for being my friend” or any other praise or request you have in the moment directed to the Lord. To practice this technique, just breathe in while you utter or just think silently the first word or first few words, “Dear God …” and then exhale the rest of the phrase from your heart, “… give me patience today.” Breathe in “Please, Lord …,” and breathe out “… help my friend.” Breathe in “Lord God …,” and breathe out, “… you are so faithful.” You see how this works?  So simple, and yet it quickly connects us with our source of life in any situation. 

But What’s The History Behind Them? 

It’s believed that breath prayers have been around since the early centuries of the church, being used by Egyptian desert monks. Those groups were known for deeply contemplative practices of prayer and meditation. However, this ancient practice is now supported by modern science as having great beneficial effects for us as well. Now, they might not see the spiritual relevance for certain, but science has shown that deep breathing, even for a moment, is not only relaxing, but it affects our heart, brain, digestion and immune systems. Breathing is not only good for our physiology but our psychology as well.  What a wonderful gift God has given to us that we are able to combine our prayers and our breathing into these practical, life-giving breath prayers! 

But I Don’t Have Time?

Scripture tells us to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NIV) and while I find great worth in the opportunities I get to focus and pray for an extended period of time; it just isn’t always practical to do so. As I’m running four “wonderfully exhausting” kids to school, preparing for the next duty as a corps officer (pastor) and chowing down on whatever grab-and-go breakfast I’ve got for the morning, it just isn’t practical to pull out my Bible, kneel down and chat with God for the hour I’d really like to spend with Him. But that doesn’t mean I can’t stay connected with Him in the moment through something as simply profound as a breath prayer. “God, help me through this day,” “Jesus, you’re so good to me” or “Spirit, guide me,” are phrases that I’m often breathing into prayer in the midst of my crazy day. 

Using this technique for prayer seems so quick but the interesting thing is that it actually adds up throughout my day and deepens my relationship with God. Instead of just bookmarking my days with some morning devotions or a nightly prayer, I’m consciously interacting with God over the entire day through these brief moments of directing my praises and requests to Him. What’s even more amazing about that is the way that I’m much more aware of what God is doing in my life and in those around me because I’m more conscious of His presence. It’s almost like I’m experiencing everything around me through a new filter that allows me to see God’s fingerprints all over the place. I see how He’s answered my prayers, I hear how He’s fulfilled his promises to me and others, I understand my own calling and purpose a lot more and I know He’s right there with me, always. 

I invite you to try this out yourself and see what happens.  When you’re feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the world, take a breath and say, “Lord, I need you.” When you hear the news of something awful happening to someone you love, take a breath and say, “Oh Jesus, be close to them.” On those days when even getting out of bed seems hard and you feel like your energy is totally tapped out, take a breath and say, “Spirit, renew and refresh me to follow your will.” 

I know if you breathe these prayers, in and out, throughout your day, God is going to seem more real to you than ever and you will grow even closer to the one who put the very breath in your lungs.  

For Further Study: Resources:

• Lectio 365 App I use this regularly as a daily devotional and prayer guide. It uses the practice of lectio divina or reading or listening to Scripture prayerfully. 
• The Book of Common Prayer An old book full of powerful traditional prayers used around the world.
• The book of Psalms These songs in the Bible are incredibly helpful to guide your prayer. Try choosing one and just reading it out loud as your prayer. You’ll see what I mean!
• Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us by Adele Calhoun. This book shows how desires and disciplines, including prayer, work together to lead us to the transformation we’re longing for that only Christ can bring. 

This article was originally titled “Breathless” in the December 2023 issue of Peer.