Cultivating Rhythms Of Prayer - Prayer in Motion: 5 Days to Relieving Stress and Praying with Your Whole Self

Cultivating Rhythms of Prayer

“Rejoice always, pray continuously, give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)

“May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16, NIV)

Cultivating a daily rhythm of prayer is not a new idea. In fact, having a daily prayer rhythm is an ancient practice that can be traced back to even before the days of Jesus. Pausing to pray throughout the day is a tenant of most spiritual traditions. We’re encouraged in Scripture to “pray continuously” (1 Thess. 5:17).

Now I know you may be thinking, Sure, that sounds good in theory, but how in the world can I add more prayer into my day when my life is already filled to the brim, and I’m already overwhelmed and exhausted?

That’s the good news! Creating a rhythm of prayer is not about adding more things to your already overflowing days, and praying continuously isn’t necessarily about saying more words to God. A rhythm of prayer incorporates prayer into what you’re already doing every day, and continual prayer is not a constant flow of words to God so much as it is a constant orientation of your heart toward God.

Prayer isn’t just another task to check off your Christian to-do list; prayer is about centering your life on the presence of God. I love how Joan Chittister describes it: “Prayer is a way of life that integrates the great values of the faith with the life we breathe. It is not something tacked on to the day. It is the heartbeat of life.”^a And when prayer is the heartbeat of your life, Christ becomes the anchor of your days.

Many of us likely already have some rhythms of prayer in place. We may regularly say grace before we eat a meal, or we may pray with our kids when we tuck them into bed. We may even set aside quiet time every morning or evening, devoting time to Scripture reading and intentional prayer. These habits are good and wonderful and are certainly beneficial for spiritual growth. Setting aside times for stillness and silence with God, or for meditative prayer practices can be an important part of a daily prayer rhythm. But prayer doesn’t end when you say “amen,” and God doesn’t leave when you close your Bible. As you move through your day and the stress starts to weigh you down, when the to-do list grows and the laundry piles up, when the kids are screaming and dinner is burning, God is still there. The invitation to turn to Him and rest in His love is still yours. Right here. Right now.

What if we could let go of the limited definitions of what we thought prayer is supposed to be and instead embraced prayer as a way of life—as a living and moving and breathing communion with God? Prayer that isn’t just spoken but experienced as we walk with Him through the mundane and momentous moments of our days? When the stress and anxieties of our circumstances press in and overwhelm us, having rhythms of regular prayer can help us remain attached to the safety of God’s love and keep us securely anchored to hope.