Some seasons lend themselves to hours of prayer. In others, a consecutive five minutes spent talking to God can feel impossible.
Esther Shin Cuiang, for example, used to love praying for long periods of time. Raised in Korean churches in New York and Maryland, Chuang grew up in Christian communities that hosted daily early morning prayer services. Her commitment to extended times of prayer lasted for years. Then she became a mother.
“When even taking a shower without interruptions seems like a luxury, finding a long period of time to pray feels impossible,” Chuang recently wrote for CT. “When I finally find the time to be alone with God after my kids go to bed, I find myself too exhausted for extended prayer.”
Chuang has struggled with guilt over her lack of time spent in prayer. But now, she practices a new discipline introduced to her by her spiritual director, Ellen Hsu. Hsu encouraged Chuang to try breath prayers—short prayers that accompany inhales and exhales.
“In breath prayers, the Christian begins by focusing his or her heart and mind on God,” explains Chuang. “The prayer is then divided into a few words on the inhale and a few words on the exhale. For example, one would inhale and pray, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,’ and exhale with, ‘have mercy on me.’”
Like Hsu and Chuang, may we remember that prayer is always available to us, regardless of our circumstances. And above all, may we trust that God loves to hear from us, whether in an hours-long time of prayer or the briefness of a breath.
