Assuming you have selected a time and a place to pray, let’s move now to practicing pausing. Instead of rushing into a request or even a prayer of adoration or confession, begin instead by taking five minutes minimum to practice slowing and being present to and aware of the God with whom we have the privilege to meet. We move at such a fast pace in our culture but the Lord is not in a hurry. With the Spirit’s help and the model we are given in scripture, we can learn to be a people who pause. Look forward to practicing this with you this week:

1. Put away any and all distractions. If at all possible, when you get up in the morning, choose not to look at your phone until after you have gone to your set aside place to meet with the Lord. Keep your phone out of reach as a way of training yourself to be present and working against the addiction of these little computers we carry around with us. If you use your phone for your devotion or Bible reading, at the very least, put it on airplane mode.
2. Consider lighting a candle as a tactile and tangible reminder of God’s presence.
3. Remember that posture matters.  You can sit with your palms open in your lap or folded but try to find a posture that is both comfortable and meaningful for you as you approach the Lord.
4. Take at least 2 minutes to sit silently and breathe. Sit comfortably without doing anything for a few moments. For some of us, two minutes of this can feel like an eternity. That’s ok, it’s worth it. As you train in this you may be able to lengthen the amount of time.  Slow the pace of your breathing by taking deep, slow breaths. A common symptom of anxiety and other forms of stress can be shallow and erratic breathing patterns, which reduce the oxygen levels in our brains causing even more stress. Remember that your mind WILL resist against this kind of stillness, it’s normal and it’s ok. Simply let interrupting thoughts come and go.
5. After at least two minutes of silence, move into a centering prayer. If you’ve never practiced centering prayer before, it’s an ancient prayer that followers of Christ have practiced for centuries. Simply begin to repeat a verse in the Bible or a short one sentence prayer that is in time with your breathing. For example, you could say “Father in heaven” while breathing in and “hallowed be your Name” while breathing out. Some people use the famous Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, (as you breathe in) have mercy on me, a sinner. (as you breathe out)” : Spirit of the living God, (as you breathe in) fall afresh on me (as you breathe out). Rejoice in the Lord always,(as you breathe in) again I say rejoice (as you breathe out). As you practice this prayer remember that the point is not to mindlessly repeat some mantra, but instead to fix your eyes on Christ and to abide in Him, filling yourself with His word and turning towards His presence.
6. After a minimum of two minutes of centering prayer, take a minute to acknowledge God. Recognize Him as Father. Recognize His immanence, and compassion, His grace and love. Recognize His transcendence, His majesty, His splendor and glory. Remember who it is that you have the privilege to meet with, that the Sovereign God of all creation longs to be with us.