Have you ever started to pray and stopped because it was not working? Sure, God was present and listening… but something was not quite right. That was me today.

As is my custom, I started my day in prayer. I found it initially dry and forced rather than nourishing and in an easy flow. There are countless reasons that can attribute to a dull distanced prayer life. I will share only one today, that I personally dealt with only a couple of hours ago.

I jumped in quickly, as I was on a mission to pray. I did what I do & what I do normally works. Deal is, I missed an important part of the process. I went straight to what I call Putting out without Taking in first. Let me explain.

It’s sort of like breathing.

I am reminded of Genesis 2:7 when,

“The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Adam was only able to breathe out after he received into himself the Lord’s breath of life. In other words, God breathed into Adam, then Adam breathed out. There was a Taking in before a Putting out. He could only exhale what he first inhaled.

I find prayer to be similar and most life-giving when I first inhale from the spirit of God then exhale in the rhythm of God’s life flow. That sounds poetic, but it might not be clear. I will explain another way.

Do I go to prayer? Or do I go to God?

Is my first inclination to simply be with the Lord? Or is my first inclination to work, to do, or to make something happen?

I have found that when I am relaxed and determined to just be, I often find myself soon being ushered into powerful times of working with God. His presence is the power that carries me when I yield. Some refer to this as, Waiting on God.

The good news is that I was able to recognize the striving, stop the striving, and start over this morning.

I got quiet and let go. I went ahead and prayed, but my prayers switched to stillness and simple songs where I received… I took in… I let the Lord comfort me. Out of this place, I got into an easy flow that I could not have manufactured in my limited strength and wisdom.

Dear Reader, if I can do this… You can do this! The Lord is nearby to breathe fresh life into your soul. He wants you to be more than a person of prayer. He yearns for you to be a living soul who lives and moves and has your entire being in HIm. That sounds daunting and perhaps impossible when we are striving in human effort and low on Heaven’s oxygen. It is far easier when we inhale first and then exhale of Heaven’s breath.

Lord, help us yield ourselves to you in such a way that we receive in and exhale out your breath of life… not just in times of prayer… but throughout our day. Amen.

“In him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28 ESV

“But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 BSB

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:26-28 ESV