Prayer forms and the way we meet with God

Prayer Forms
Prayer Forms

 

This week we are going to get right into it as we talk about prayer forms.  Prayer is the way into the presence of God.  It a rich expression of worship; it is not an obligation or simply a religious duty.  The posture of prayer is a surrendered heart responding to the love of the Father. If you have just stubbled, onto this post, it is the third in series on prayer.  You can catch up here!

Why we pray matters and how one little adjustment changes everything.

What to pray: 7 simple kinds of prayer<

 

Contemplative prayer forms

While we all know how to petition the LORD, many of us struggle to just enjoy being with the LORD.   This week I’ve put together a collection of Contemplative prayer forms, which will help us to cultivate intimacy with the Father. I also included inner healing prayer, which is not contemplative, but I felt like it fit with this collection because of the nature of its process.

 

So, let’s dig in!

 

 

Prayer Forms

 

 

Breath Prayer

 

Breathing is natural, meaning we don’t have to think about it, our lungs just breath.  That’s how prayer should be, so habitual that our soul just does it.  We need God like we need air—it’s just that simple.

 

“Breath prayer is a form of contemplative prayer linked to the rhythms of breathing: (1) breathe in, calling on a biblical name or image of God, and (2) breathe out a simple God-given desire.” 1.

Five years ago, I experienced a profound loss followed by several stressful events.  I was grieving, we moved, we traveled internationally—twice—and I started a new job

 

I began to struggle with mental fatigue and some depression.  Early in the morning I often woke with a heavy sense of dread just sitting on my chest and I knew that this wasn’t going to end well if something didn’t change.

 

I began to practice breath prayer.  As soon as my mind began to be conscious in the early morning hours, I would just inhale and say the name of Jesus.  Then I’d exhale and say, have mercy on me.  I need you.  And then I’d do it again until I could feel my heart rate slow down.

 

When my feet hit the floor I’d do it again, and again, and again.  In that season it was the only way I knew how to shut down the nagging sound of anxiety pressing in.  It helped me to keep my eyes focused on Jesus, the king of my heart.

 

Breath prayer is designed to help us draw close to the LORD, and stay focused on him.  The analogy of breathing reminds us that he is that close.

 

 

Prayer Forms

 

 

Centering Prayer

 

A centering Prayer is also a form of contemplative prayer, which is designed to help us quiet the heart and enjoy the presence of God.  We often long for solitude and quiet, but sometimes even when everything around is still and silent, the mind is loud and busy.  God is the focus of the heart, and so we have to tame the mind.

 

Here’s the thing, in centering prayer the goal is God’s presence—period.  It’s not a wordy process, it’s a being still process.

 

Find a quiet corner, light a candle, and put yourself into the presence of God.  Be still and know him.  When your mind begins to wander draw yourself back by whispering a simple word or phrase from scripture that speaks to the heart of your desire (e.g. love, shalom, Jesus, etc.)

 

Centering prayer is about bringing the soul back into alignment with the Father, which takes a little practice.  I remember the first time I tried centering prayer, I wanted to crawl out of my skin after the first 30 seconds.  Solitude is hard and it is hard to shift the focus off self to the Father, so it’s important to understand that cultivating these prayer habits will take time.  But it’s oh so worth it.

 

 

Prayer Forms

 

 

Contemplative prayer

 

Have you ever thought about just playing with God?  Sometimes our view of the Father is so steeped in holy reverence that we forget that he is relational.  We see in his word that he wants close intimacy with his beloved—that’s us, by the way—beloved sons and daughters.  God invites us to come and know him because he wants to reveal the mysteries of his grace and goodness.

 

This prayer form is actually more like a category of prayers, which are all designed to help us cultivate a posture that is open to the presence of God.  It is slow and low, without wordiness, and settles into a place of gentle rest.

 

Contemplative prayer is about resting with God.  This is a deeply personal prayer form that practices quiet and solitude with the LORD.  It may very well include Breath prayers, centering prayer, and labyrinth prayer, but mostly the purpose is to facilitate oneness with the Father, without a laundry list of requests or striving.

 

“Contemplative prayer requires patience, but it is not the heavy work that intercession can sometimes be.  It can even be light, playful, tender and joyful.  In a world given to activity and work, contemplative prayer is a way we join God in a place of divine rest and love.” 2.

 

Get creative with this one.  Practices may include talking a walk with the Lord.  Take a camera and look at creation through a different lens—through different angles.  Consider using artistry to lean in—painting, drawing, writing, cooking!  Remember it’s not about the activity, it’s meeting with God that place—He is the focus.

 

 

Prayer Forms

 

 

Labyrinth Prayer

 

Consider where you are in your spiritual journey.  How close do feel to God?

 

The idea of taking a spiritual journey or a pilgrimage is very attractive to many people.  There is something about the physical walk and the mental process that is particularly satisfying. I’ve talked with many friends who have visited the Holy Land and who have actually chosen to get re-baptized in the river Jordan because of the spiritual significance.  Somehow, walking the roads that Jesus walked can cause awe and deeper awareness of the presence of God to the soul of a wandering pilgrim.

 

Labyrinth Prayer takes a page out of the pilgrim’s handbook and sets it up in a way that makes journeying to the heart of the Father a little more practical and perhaps more accessible too.

Walking the labyrinth in contemplative prayer has one purpose and that’s to help you move closer to the heart of the Father.

 

 

I keep trying to convince my husband to build one in our backyard, but so far, it’s still a hard no.  The reality is most of us will not have access to a physical labyrinth, but there are still creative ways to get around it.  You can find a printable labyrinth map here.

The main point is that you are taking a prayer journey to the heart of the Father.  It’s low and slow and meditative in nature.  There is nothing mystical about it, just you and the LORD walking together and processing along the way.  The goal is communion, not necessarily majestic revelation—although that may happen.  Let go of the agenda and lean into the sweetness of time spent walking with God in the Garden.

 

 

Prayer Forms

 

 

 Fasting (Self-Denial)

 

Fasting is about denying ourselves in order to give our full attention to God in prayer.  Prayer forms like fasting are used  “to seek God on matters of deep concern for others, myself, and the world.” 3.

 

About 8 years ago, my husband went off with a small group of men to help a missionary friend of ours in Haiti.  As I drove my husband to the meeting spot in the middle of the night, I heard the LORD speak to my heart.

 

“Will you fast and pray, this week while Ryan is in Haiti?”

 

I was pretty sure I didn’t want to obey.  In fact, when we stopped at Walmart (in the middle of the night) I bought some peanut M & M’s—pretty obnoxious, right? After I dropped him off, I drove home arguing all the way, about why fasting without proper preparation was not a smart plan.  And I ate the, M & M’s.

 

When I got home, I quietly climbed the stairs and crawled back into bed, hoping to get some more sleep, but that didn’t happen.  Instead, the Holy Spirit spoke to me for the next four hours as I tried to sleep.  Finally, I got up, repented and agreed to do the Fast.

 

And then he whispered, “Oh, and no TV either.”

 

 

Prayer Forms

 

Obedience is always best

 

And so, I fasted from food and TV for the entire week.  I had never done a fast like that and I haven’t done one like it since, but that experience was unbelievably amazing.  The presence of God was powerful and tangible because I had to trust him completely.  I prayed over Ryan and the team, but the LORD drew me into prayer about so many other things.  It is incredible what you can hear when you choose self-denial and trust.  Obedience is always the best.

 

Just a word of caution, there are some guidelines that should be considered if you decide to do a fast.

  • Don’t do one if you are sick in any way, shape or form.
  • Wait for the LORD to prompt you.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Work into larger fasts by doing smaller fasts first.
  • When you break your fast, do it gently with small amounts of food

 

Tips for during the fast.

  • Practice contemplative prayer.
  • Worship
  • Meet with God over scripture.
  • Bring your petitions to the Father.
Prayer Forms

Inner-Healing Prayer (Pray forms that go deeper)

 

One of the names of God is, Jehovah-Rapha, the God who heals.  Ultimately, God’s desire for his beloved sons and daughters is wholeness.  Salvation offers us the way back, but we will spend the rest of our earthly lives, walking in that grace.

 

The theological word we use for that is Sanctification, which ultimately means the process of becoming the person God created, whole and holy, and in his likeness.   While there is definitely much more on that subject, the point I’m trying to make is that God is both creator and healer.  His desire is for rightness and wholeness because that is who he is.

 

You and I, we are broken people.  Wounds can run deep, so deep in fact, that we can’t even see them, but we feel them all right.  There are times when a person just needs help digging them out and praying it through.  Actually, there are times when all of us just need some help breaking through.  Prayer forms like inner healing are very beneficial for the soul.

 

“Prayer for inner healing invites those with emotional wounds to enter the safe and healing presence of Jesus.  In this safe place, those seeking wholeness and freedom open themselves to listen to Jesus and his word to them.” 4.

 

 

Inner healing seeks to deal with emotional wounds, generational sin, curses, vows, and lies of the enemy.  When the soul is out of alignment with the truth of God, it can open the door to the enemy.  When we agree with lies, we give the enemy permission to lead and that never ends well.  Inner healing helps us to recognize what is true so that we can cut off what is not.

 

 

Prayer Forms

 

 

Prayer Forms

 

As you can see, even as a form, there is still much room for spontaneity and freedom of flow.  Prayer forms can help inform the direction of our hearts so that we aren’t tempted to always take the same pathway into the presence of God.

 

Intimacy is not one dimensional.  In order to really know another, we must be honest, open, and real.  Different angles and positions open the way for a deeper, richer understanding of the heart.

 

Prayer forms give us a tangible way to discipline ourselves in meeting with the Lord. They are simple exercises that help focus the heart.  I hope you enjoy playing with them.

 

Join me next week as I dive into another whole set of prayer forms!

 

 

 

  1. Adele Ahlbrg Calhoun. Spiritual Disciplines Handbood. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press. p 204.
  2. same p.212.
  3. same p. 218.
  4. same p. 227.

Leave a Reply

Back to top