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January 1st - January 21st, 2024
This 21 Day Fast for 2024 will be focused on stillness and connection with God.
For 21 Days:
• You choose the type of Fast
• Schedule moments during the day to practice stillness
• Follow along with the daily reading
• Enlist Support for accountability
HOW TO PRACTICE STILLNESS
• Settle into a comfortable and quiet place
• Take a few deep breaths, allowing yourself to inhale and exhale slowly.
• Begin with a simple prayer—often just one word—that expresses your openness to
God and your desire to spend time with him. You might use your favorite name for God,
such as Abba, Father, or Jesus.
• When distractions come—and they most certainly will come—entrust them to God’s care
and use your simple prayer phrase to turn your thoughts back to God.
• Give yourself lots of grace here, especially at the beginning. Remember, this is a
revolutionary and countercultural practice, not a walk in the park.
BREATH PRAYER
Breath prayer is an ancient Christian practice dating back to at least the early centuries of the church. The famous “Jesus Prayer” is an example of a breath prayer. Developed from the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9–14, it is drawn from the tax collector’s desperate plea for mercy: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Each phrase of the prayer is prayed under the breath on an inhale or exhale. I have found breath prayer to be an especially helpful practice when I feel distracted as I come to be silent and still before the Lord. Breath prayer is similar to silent prayer in that it can be done at any time, for we are always breathing! In Scripture, breath is a metaphor for the Spirit of God. It is through breath that God gives life (Genesis 2:7), and it is through breath that Jesus gives the Holy Spirit (John 20:22).
The following are a few guidelines to help you practice breath prayer:
• Sit upright in a silent place.
• Draw your attention to your breathing.
• Breathe from your diaphragm, allowing your abdomen to rise and fall easily.
• Don’t force your breath or breathe too quickly.
• Whenever your thoughts wander, bring your attention back to your breath.
• As you inhale, ask God to fill you with the Spirit of life.
• As you exhale, release anything that is not of him.
• When your time of silence is over, pause to thank God for your time with him.
