Praying Without Ceasing in Sport: 5 Breath Prayers for Christian Athletes
A soccer player settles the ball on the penalty spot for a shot to win the game. With focus and intensity, the athlete positions three steps behind the ball and breathes deeply.
Fans are on the edge of their seats. With little time left on the clock, a basketball player stands with two feet firmly planted on the free throw line. The ball bounces. The athlete’s lungs fill up with air before launching a shot toward the net.
A determined track athlete approaches the starting line, takes a focused breath, and narrows attention on the task at hand.
In sport, deep breathing is associated with big moments where an athlete needs focused attention and a physical reminder to remain calm.
Breathwork and breathing techniques have been lauded by sports psychologists as one of the best ways to calm anxiety and create mental space to focus during the intensity of competition.
The Christian athlete can take this practice a step further.
The Breath of Life
“The LORD God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
The existence of mankind begins with a breath. Creator God comes close and uses his very breath to give energizing life to mankind. This paints a picture of a Creator who is close, intimate, and near his precious creation.
We see a similar demonstration from Jesus when he appears to the disciples after his death on the cross.
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together and locked the doors of the place because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:19-22).
Following the most breathtaking moment of their lives, the disciples gathered in great fear. In the midst of tension, Jesus came near offering his peace and presence. The word for “Spirit” in the Bible can be closely related to the word for breath as both are invisible, energizing life forces. By breathing on the disciples, Jesus mirrored the intimate, close Creator found in Genesis 2. He used his breath to demonstrate the closeness and power of the Holy Spirit to bring forth new life.
By drawing attention to our breath, we are reminded of the loving God who breathes life into our souls.
Breath Prayer
Breath prayer is a spiritual discipline that aligns breathing with short prayers to help believers draw attention to God’s presence and communion with us. Breath prayer can be seen as a way to follow the encouragement of Paul to pray without ceasing.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Consider this. What is one thing you can do without ceasing? Breathing. If you cease from breathing, you would cease from existing. The average person takes about 22,000 breaths a day. Therefore, breath prayer gives us thousands of opportunities to remind ourselves of God’s nearness and presence.
Pray without ceasing while competing
The frenetic energy of a sporting event can become all consuming and even overwhelming as each moment holds the weight for a potential victory. Every second rightfully requires focused attention on the task at hand. Given this environment, sports are not always an easy place to center on God’s presence.
You’ve likely heard the phrase “catch your breath.” It’s usually said in regards to the physical need to slow down breathing to drop the heart rate. Most sports naturally give a moment of reprieve from the action for athletes to catch their breath – a timeout, a throw-in, a serve, a substitution, etc.
What does this look like in your sport?
As you catch your breath to slow your heart rate, you can simultaneously align a prayer to center your soul on God’s presence. Aligning a short prayer to deep breathing reorients our hearts and minds to communion with God in the tension filled moments of competition.
5 Breath Prayers for Competitors
Prayer involves bringing our requests, needs, and desires to God as we draw near to His presence in asking for help. With this in mind, there are many breath prayers that communicate our deepest needs. It may also be helpful to write personal breath prayers to meet your specific needs in different seasons.
For Humility & Strength: Inhale “Jesus” Exhale “have mercy on me a sinner” (Psalm 51:1; Luke 18:38).
For Fear of Failure: Inhale “Do not fear” Exhale “I am with you always” (Isaiah 41:10; John 14:27).
For Wisdom: Inhale “Good Shepherd” Exhale “Lead me” or Inhale “Holy Spirit” Exhale “Come” (Psalm 23; John 14).
For Identity: Inhale “Abba Father” Exhale “I belong to you” (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6).
For Audience of One: Inhale “Lord Jesus” Exhale “May your face shine upon me” (Numbers 6:24).
As the intensity of a sporting moment builds up, take a deep breath. Breathe deeply the life giving presence of God. Let this awareness bring you peace.
