Breath Prayers for Fibromyalgia

By Claudia Mair Burney

So you have fibromyalgia syndrome...

If you’re like me and over five million other Americans—many of us women—you hurt. All over. As if the widespread pain of fibromyalgia syndrome isn’t enough, your sleep patterns have probably grown increasingly chaotic. Chronic restlessness and its twin, unrelenting fatigue, have likely dragged depression into your life. None of them go easily. You may find every little thing you do, including praying, has becomes more difficult. In such a diminished state God may seem less like a loving Father, and more like a remote cousin who doesn’t quite remember your name. But He continues to draw us near, even if we feel abandoned by Him.

If you’re reading this, help is on the way. I’ve discovered a way to connect with God, intimately, even when I feel like one, big, tired ache: breath prayers. Almost anyone can pray them. And you can do so no matter how bad the fibro flare.

What are breath prayers?

What Are Breath Prayers?

Breath prayers are short bursts of praise or petition that can be prayed, whether you do so aloud or not, in a single breath. The most famous breath prayer is the Jesus Prayer, which the anonymous seeker practiced in the classic, The Way of a Pilgrim. Here are the instructions the pilgrim’s teacher offered:

“Sit down in silence. Lower your head, shut your eyes, breathe out gently, and imagine yourself looking into your own heart. Carry your mind, that is, your thoughts, from your head to your heart. As you breathe out, say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’ Say it moving your lips gently, or simply say it in your mind. Try to put all other thoughts aside. Be calm, be patient, and repeat the process very frequently.”

Using whatever deep breathing technique that feels comfortable to you, try these ten breath prayers to soothe body and soul. Repeat them as often as you wish, and later, try making up your own. Keep it simple and personal. You can even pray your favorite short verses of scripture if your confidence in creating your own breath prayers wavers.

When Fibro Fog Clouds Your Memory

One of the most annoying symptoms of fibromyalgia is “fibro fog.” You lose your keys more often; and your wallet; and that one blasted shoe! You may also notice you regularly experience bouts of confusion, fuzzy thinking, and now possess an ADD like inability to concentrate. These are troubling symptoms. It’s tempting to awfulize, convincing yourself you have far worse than fibromyalgia, or that the damage done to your poor brain is permanent. It’s not, but you’d be hard pressed to believe that’s true when your thinking is so hazy. James 1:5 admonishes us to ask God for wisdom if we lack it. I don’t think anyone will have a problem with us asking the Lord to help us pay attention, too.

When fibro fog hijacks your brain, take a deep breath and pray:

“God of wisdom, help me to think clearly.”

When You Can't Sleep

I’ve always had night-owl tendencies, but I developed a full-blown sleep disorder lately. Chaotic sleeping patterns can be the culprit behind a number of illnesses. “How are you sleeping?” is one of the first questions a medical or mental health professional will ask you, no matter what your complaint is.

A lack of sleep exacerbates fibromyalgia symptoms. You end up feeling worse, then having even more trouble sleeping! If you find counting sheep useless, it may benefit you to talk to the Shepherd instead. Visualize Him healing and protecting you while you rest. Meditate on the scripture, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8 NIV.

Pray:

“God, You make me to sleep in peace, and safety.”

When Your Heart is Broken

For me, one of the most painful aspects of having fibromyalgia was realizing how much it takes away from my children. They are extraordinarily compassionate, often climbing in my bed when I can’t even get up to sit in the living room and watch television with them. On the days I have to say, “Please don’t hug me right now; Mommy’s skin hurts,” they don’t shrink away feeling rejected. They’ve even learned to ask if I feel up to a hug. While I’m grateful for their tenderness, I still cry sometimes, thinking of all they’ve missed because of me. But I take comfort in knowing that Psalm 34:18 declares God is close to me, and them.

If having fibromyalgia has rent your heart in two, whisper to God through your veil of tears:

“Heal my broken heart, O God.”

When You Want to Hide

Many times I’ve gotten so discouraged by the fiery pain shooting through my body, and my too-sensitive-to-touch raw skin, I’ve wished I were a pill bug. At the gentlest nudge I could curl up in a circle, my armadillo-like skin covering me like a shield. Few respites provide me with a buffer from the difficulties of living a life with chronic pain, but the Psalms are a notable exception. They always offer consolation when I’m needy.

I love David. From his rage, to his need for relief from boils, he gave all his troubles to God and teaches me to do the same. This verse is a perennial favorite of mine: “You are my hiding place: You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance,” Psalms 32:7, NIV.

If you need a place to hide, burrow yourself in God and pray like the Psalmist:

“You are my hiding place.”

When You Are Discouraged and Ashamed

One of the hardest challenges of having fibro is the shame many of us struggle to slough off. After we’ve dealt with the initial shock of our bodies betraying us, we find our shoulders rounding under the weight of having to say “no” again and again. We lose friends. Our spouses may miss the fun-loving, active companions they married. Many of us pick up weight and have a hard time accepting the way we look. Exercise seems impossible. Even on pain and fatigue-free days, we could find ourselves mortified that we’re house-bound because of irritable bowel syndrome, a common fibromyalgia malady. Imagine your tender heavenly Father taking your chin in His hand, and lifting your head so that your eyes meet His. Remember the verse in the Psalms that says, “O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.” Psalm 3:3 NIV.

Breathe in and tell God, “Thank you Father.” On the exhale pray:

“You have lifted my head.”

When You’ve Complained Incessantly

“My back hurts! I can hardly keep my eyes open! I’m getting a migraine! None of my medications work!” Sometimes I open my mouth and a litany of complaints pours out. Itemizing my miseries never make me feel better. I end up sullen and self-pitying. Teresa of Avila, who was also chronically ill, cautioned her nuns, “Learn to suffer a little for the love of God without telling everyone about it.” This is good advice for 21^st century seekers as well. Counting your blessings is a potent blow against ingratitude. No matter how ill you are you can still find something to be thankful for.

If you find it hard to remember all the grace you’ve been given, pray:

“Lord, thank you for your goodness to me.”

When You Can’t Endure Hurting Another Moment

A young woman wrote to me about her struggle. She had to quit taking college classes as her symptoms worsened, and spent many nights staring at the ceiling, while her hot tears dampened her pillowcase. No matter how hard she tried, this precious woman, barely into her twenties, couldn’t come to terms with the terrible pain that had waylaid her. She wanted to know how I coped so well. I told her the truth: sometimes, I don’t. It’s then that my prayers are most direct, and I shoot them like arrows toward heaven.

When the pain is too much, and you feel like you’re about to shatter, simply ask for what you want most:

“Holy One, heal me.”

Your Will Be Done

In a story in the Gospel of John, Jesus was confronted with a blind man. The disciples asked Him, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9:2-3.NIV.

Jesus spit in the dirt, wiped the mud in the blind man's eyes and healed him, but we may still be in the dark about how our story will unfold. It is when we’re groping for answers that don’t seem forthcoming that Jesus' breath prayer of surrender should come to mind: “Your will be done.”

We don’t know what God is doing. He could very well be displaying His works in us, or something even more mysterious. Our job as believers is to trust Him, even if our vision is muddy. God loves us. He knows what’s best for us. Let's leave our health, and all other concerns, in His capable hands.

Pray, “Your will be done,” frequently, and try not to worry about the outcome.