EHS Practices – Week 3 – Day 4

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THEME: GOING BACK TO GO FORWARD

BREATH PRAYER: LORD, HELP ME FACE MY PAST AND ACCEPT YOUR FREEDOM

SETTLING IN:

• In a journal, note the day, time, and place you’re sitting.
• Open with a few moments of silence. Rest, and breathe deeply.
• Complete the following sentence in your journal: Today, I feel ________________.
• Read these words slowly (aloud or silently):

You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but You will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again. (Psalm 71:20-21)

Pray this week’s breath prayer and pause for a few moments of silence.

PRACTICE:
inner-healing prayer

Throughout this week, we have prayed for the Lord to help us face the past and accept His freedom. Today we seek to bring the significant hurts of our past before God in a prayer for emotional healing. Often in the gospels, when people come to Jesus for healing, He involves them in their own healing. The woman who suffered bleeding reached out her hand to touch Jesus (Mark 5). A blind man was told to wash the mud from his eyes (John 9). An invalid was asked, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5). When we cooperate with Christ for healing, our pain can be transformed. As Richard Rohr says, “If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.”

To begin the prayer, sit comfortably, play this audio clip, and close your eyes. Time for reflection is built into the audio, but feel free to pause it if you need longer after any particular instruction.

Inner-healing prayer is a practice that often takes time to develop. The fruit of today’s prayer may not be immediately evident. You may not necessarily feel like it “worked.” But as time goes by and you think back to that memory, instead of simply focusing on the hurt or pain, remember the presence of Jesus with you in that moment. As you do, continually invite Him to release you, heal you, and care for you. Over time, you may find deep healing and a freedom you did not previously think was possible.

Digging Deeper: Read Isaiah 43:1-7. Imagine your Savior standing in that hurtful situation, speaking these words over you. Write the passage, or a portion of it that stands out to you, on a card and place it where you will see it regularly.

• Summary: Write a brief summary (five sentences or less) of what the Lord showed you while praying.
• Closing: Respond to Jesus regarding what He showed you or said to you. Be honest, even if you feel like He didn’t act or speak. Lord, help me face my past and accept Your freedom.