By J. Davis Creach
Something we say often at Laudate is that every moment is a prayer, and every rep is a praise. What does that mean? In order to fully understand this phrase and why we say it, it is important to define prayerful training and explain the role of prayer in physical movement.
First, let’s talk the difference between training and prayerful training. A lot of people work out but very few people train. It may seem like a small distinction, but it matters how we define our physical fitness journey. Working out is something that every human being should do. Studies show that literally every measure of health goes up with basic physical activity. Whether it is running, lifting weights, walking, stretching, yoga, etc. it is essential for overall health and longevity that we as human beings move.
But training is more focused and often more intense. There is almost always an explicit goal in training, whether it be a personal best on squats, a sub-30 5K time, or the development of overall physical fitness and skill. Training requires intention and discipline and focus; you can’t just wander around the gym and get stuck on your phone between sets as you get your weekly 150 minutes.
It is much the same for prayerful training, though there is one major difference: the source of our focus. Training is all about you; more specifically, it is all about ego. The ego is what drives your training. It tells you to “dig deep” and reinforces your efforts with thoughts like “you got this,” and “you’re the champ!” If you are particularly competitive or driven, your ego may also be a bit of a bully, pushing your progress with thoughts like “you can’t lose!” or “come on, wuss, get up!” or maybe even “you have to get stronger! You have to get faster!” When it is all about you, the ego is your only source of energy and drive; when its all about you, everything is on your shoulders.
But prayerful training is not all about you. Though you are certainly involved and (if you are training right) you are putting in work, its really all about God. There is no retreating to the inner sanctum of the ego; instead there is finding refuge in the inner sanctum of the Spirit. This gives you strength through mercy, grace, and gratitude, as opposed to self-ridicule and self-importance. Prayerful training connects you with the Divine while training connects you with the Ego. Training puts a heavy and cumbersome yoke on your shoulders, while prayerful training saddles you with the yoke of Christ, a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light (Matthew 11:30).
This certainly does not mean that prayerful training is easy. In fact, it is quite the opposite. For one, it is difficult to maintain a rhythm of prayer while your muscles are aching and your mind is telling you to give up and go home. Prayerful training is not a stroll in the park on a sunny spring day. It is just as difficult as pure training and yet there is also a spiritual component that is at once freeing and empowering while also difficult and often frustrating. Prayerful training is a practice that pushes the body and the spirit to its limits, forcing us to lean on the Holy Spirit for strength as opposed to ourselves.
But what does this actually looks like in practice? How do we remain in prayer as we train?
The first and foremost way we remain prayerful as we train is by connecting to our breath. At Laudate, we practice breathing prayer every week because we believe that prayer itself is a way to pray. When we breathe, we breathe in the Spirit of the Living God, the same Spirit that breathed life into us from the very beginning (Genesis 2:7). When we breathe intentionally, we can deeply connect with the Divine on a primal level that is beyond language and thought; in a sense, breathing is the purest form of communing with God each and every moment.
Breathe work and breathe control is crucial for proper training. Proper breathing keeps us in rhythm, provides our body with oxygen and flushes our carbon dioxide, keeps our trunk steady and stable, etc. Our breathing can hype us up and calm us down. It helps us recover and it helps us keep moving. All of this is part of the reality of God’s breath within you, and when you recognize that you can give thanks and seek the mercy and strength of God with every breathe.
This is the starting point for what we mean when we say “every movement a prayer, every rep a praise.” With each repetition, we are being given strength and mercy through our breathe. In fact, it is the gift of breath that allows us to move at all! It is important to recognize this truth and give God the glory. In my own training, I periodically reset myself during sets with a quick “Praise!” as I breathe and brace.
But it is often quite difficult to think prayerfully rep by rep. It is easier, though just as important, to view the whole set as a prayer. Before beginning the movement, we can breathe deeply and offer thanks and praise. For me, I find it helpful to sign myself with the cross and offer a short praise like “In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” or “Glory to you, Lord Christ.” Then, when I put the weights down, I give an “Amen” and center myself with breathe once again.
There are many other way to engage in prayer in your training, especially when we are training together in a group. As you continue developing the discipline and skills of prayerful training, keep thinking of new ways you can connect with God. Let your movement be a sacrifice to the Lord and rest in the Spirit of God in every moment, for the Lord is always with you.
By Iron, through Iron, to Iron. Amen.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-19
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