Lent Practices – Week 1 – 2.15.2018
THEME: A FATHER WHO UNDERSTANDS
BREATH PRAYER: JESUS, GIVE ME FAITH TO WALK WITH YOU INTO THE UNKNOWN.
CENTERING:
Let those delivered by the Lord speak out, those whom He delivered from the power of the enemy.
Psalm 107:2
SETTLING IN:
- In a journal, note the day, time, and place you’re sitting.
- Open with silence. Set a timer for 1, 3, or 5 minutes so you can be free to rest and breathe deeply.
- Complete the following sentence in your journal: Today, I feel ________________.
- Read the centering verse above slowly (aloud or silently).
- Pause for a few moments of silence, then pray this week’s breath prayer.
PRACTICE:
GRATITUDE
Have you noticed how many times a day you find yourself frustrated? The kids are running late. The stock market had a hiccup. Your husband forgot your anniversary. Your wife still isn’t paying enough attention. That man in the red car in the fast lane, that’s actually going the speed limit. If we’re honest, it’s probably happens far more often than it should.
That perpetually critical and irritated state of being could become an overwhelming character issue for you without you ever knowing. Erasmus once said, and gratitude is rooted in this reality, “bidden or unbidden, God is present.“ It can therefore be assumed that unless we are intentionally pursuing gratitude, the roots of selfishness and entitlement may become pervasive.
What type of comparative statements do you make in everyday conversation? What feelings accompany those statements? In your conversations today, practice abstaining from making those comparisons. Instead give thanks for what you have.
Think about a current hardship you face. How do you feel about this hardship? Be honest with God. Where is evidence of God’s presence in that situation? If you cannot find God or anything to be thankful for, spend some time with Jesus and ask for His perspective.
Summary: Write in your journal a brief summary (five sentences or less) of your practice.
Closing: Jesus, give me faith to walk with You into the unknown.
