Take a deep breath.
Let your body begin to slow…
Let your thoughts begin to settle…
You are stepping into sacred space.

God is already here.
You don’t have to strive, perform, or be perfect—
just be present.

Let’s begin to center ourselves with breath prayers—
short, sacred phrases you can repeat with each breath,
aligning body, mind, and spirit with the presence of God.

Breathe in: “You are here, Lord.”
Breathe out: “And I am with You.”

Breathe in: “Your peace…”
Breathe out: “…surrounds me.”

Inhale: “Your mercy…”
Exhale: “…renews me.”

Let each breath become a prayer.
Let each moment become a surrender.
Let yourself rest—fully, quietly—in God’s love.

What words or phrases stand out to you?

Is there a part of your heart that feels weary, heavy, or even bitter?

Is God inviting you to hope again—even in the middle of something painful?

Hope can feel like a dangerous thing. After all…what goes up, must come down right? When we’ve been through a difficult season…or even a difficult day, hope can seem like a risky adventure. I suppose the level of risk depends on what you put your hope in.

This passage of Lamentations says: Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

Hoping in the faithful love of the Lord might feel risky today…but you can be assured that it is a safe bet. Spend a few minutes ruminating on what it looks like to hope even when it feels risky. To not let yourself be swallowed in grief or bitterness but to follow the spark of hope as God draws you out of the darkness by the power of His faithful love.

Verse 23: Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Let’s say it again: Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

Aren’t you grateful for this truth? Do you need a do-over today? I don’t know what your yesterday was like, but I do know today is a brand-new day. His mercies have been refreshed and you are back to operating from a full well of God’s faithfulness. Let this new wave of mercies wash over you today. As you reflect, repeat to yourself, “Your mercy renews me…”

Verses 25-27: The author uses the word “good” three times in these three verses to describe depending, waiting, and discipline. For most of us the word “good” does not come to mind when we think about those 3 things. Have you been resisting dependance? Growing impatient in waiting? Or avoiding discipline? The Lord calls these things GOOD so let’s spend a few moments shifting our perspective and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our attitudes and outlooks today.