Scripture ~ “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances!”
1st Thessalonians 5:16-18a
Spiritual Focus ~ “You have to take inventory. Every day, I brush my teeth, I floss my teeth, I’m in the mirror saying thank you…thank you that I am awake, thank you for the breath in my body, thank you for my relationships, my grandkids…find some small thing. It’s like pulling a thread, and it reorders your day.” The Rev. Jacqui Lewis, PhD, author, activist, preacher, and public theologian
Breath Prayer ~ I’m grateful
Devotion ~ We talk a lot about gratitude, but how do we practice it when things aren’t going well? The quote from our spiritual focus is Jacqui Lewis’ answer when asked that very question. She responded from a place of authenticity and grace. As a pastor in New York City she has navigated some tough situations recently, including when the church where she serves burned down in December 2020. The inventory she describes is a habit that has become a practice of gratitude which serves her well in all circumstances, practicing gratitude without ceasing.
Paul’s words to the Thessalonians, “Pray without ceasing” is a familiar teaching about prayer. This scripture provides inspiration for many prayer teams, books, and various ways to pray. These techniques can often be helpful in developing a habit of prayer, but in truth, praying without ceasing can be quite simple. When we add intention to our habit, we foster a practice of prayer without ceasing. For example, we might count every breath as a prayer, every pause as sacred opportunity for gratitude, even a sacred glance can be a form of prayer. Prayer may or may not include words, structured or spontaneous, gestures, movement, stillness, or perhaps just create space for silence.
Centering or contemplative prayer is a kind of meditation that includes a sacred word, sacred glance, and/or a sacred breath. It is a relatively simple way to pray. We find a comfortable seat (the literal definition of asana), and we become aware of the rhythm of our breath, perhaps connecting our breath with the sacred breath of God. When our thoughts or something else inevitably distract us, we use a sacred word as an invitation to return to our breath and re-center ourselves in prayer. If closing your eyes to pray is challenging, you are not alone! The sacred glance serves as that invitation to return to our breath and to our prayer. As we bring intention to our habits of prayer and gratitude, with God’s grace we may transform these habits into true practices, praying without ceasing and giving thanks in all circumstances.
