Prayer can be me borrowing someone else’s words, letting the fullness of their words fill the emptiness left by the absence of my own words. Like a respirator breathing for me until my lungs heal and strengthen enough to breathe alone, someone else’s words can pray for me until my soul and spirit heal and strengthen enough to pray with words of my own. Here are some ways to pray using the words of others (in order, from easiest to most demanding). Start small, choosing just one option, and build from there.
1.Listen once or twice a day to prayers prayed by others. Numerous groups,
including Crossroads Abbey, offer audio prayers twice a day from The Book of
Common Prayer (accompanied by reading of Scripture and singing). Pray As You Go offers prayer recordings each work-day and one for the weekend (accompanied by a song and a Scripture meditation). Offered as podcast and found on their websites, just press play and take in these prayers offered by others.
2. Read (aloud or silently) or write one pre-written prayer/day, at the start, middle or end of your day. This could be done once each day, once every other day, or once a handful of days each week, depending on your needs, energy, etc. Easy choices include the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13) a Pauline prayer (e.g., Eph. 3:14-21) or a short Psalm (like Ps. 13, 23, or 121). Alternatively, consider a contemporary prayer from a resource like Every Moment Holy. Stick with the same prayer over several days/ weeks/months until it no longer seems to speak for you.
3. Choose a phrase to use as a breath prayer during your day. This is called a breath prayer because the phrase intentionally aligns with the experience of inhaling and exhaling. It’s a prayer meant to go where you go, used anytime during the day. And, because it’s done with a focus on breathing, it’s a type of prayer that tends to calm you and destress you. Examples include “Jesus Christ [as you inhale], Son of God [as you exhale], have mercy [as you inhale], on me [as you exhale]”; or “Be still [inhale], and know [exhale], that I [inhale] am God [exhale]”; or “Christ with me [inhale], Christ in me [exhale].” You can find some of the breath prayers I’ve created HERE.
4. Pray the prayers of the Daily Office four times/ day. The website (also an app) The Daily Office gives you prayers (and Scriptures) used by Christians around the world each morning, midday, evening and bedtime. The correct prayer/ readings pull up automatically for the correct day/ date/ time of day. This revised version provides a shorter and simpler written experience.
