5 Breath Prayers When You’re Exhausted and Desperate

Sometimes we have very little to say that feels solid, reasonable or helpful in prayer. That’s one of the reasons I am so thankful that God gave us powerful, ancient words that we can meditate on and pray back to Him. I’m sharing five verses that can be used as “breath prayers” when we don’t have words of our own.

On the left, you will find the verse, suggested breath prayer pattern (not magic words), and context where it might help. On the right is a deeper dive into why the verse is appropriate and not a platitude of any sort. In fact, as I learned more about the original language in these passages, I saw consistently how raw the original text is. That was a fresh awakening for my soul. I hope the prayers and explanations serve you well, too.

Note: Breath prayers are simple phrases, focused on Scripture, where you slowly breathe in thinking about one phrase and then slowly breathe out thinking or saying another.

When your load is getting to be too much

(and hopefully before you get to that point)

Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you”	Why this isn’t a platitude “Cast” sounds nice, but doesn’t immediately propel me to action. Maybe I’ve just heard verses like this too often without understanding. God is inviting us to “hurl” (yĕhab) our burdens on Him, not politely request a brief respite. That command is an effective encouragement to me, because sometimes I don’t feel very polite about our situation. God can and does take it when we throw what is too much for us before Him.
Breath prayer Inhale: “I need you to carry this.” Exhale: “You will hold me up.” Repeat three times.
When to pray it You feel like you can’t handle the situation; you’re frustrated at the path that God as given your family; you feel defeated

When anxiety feels like it is swallowing you whole

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God”	Why this isn’t a platitude The rich meaning of the word raphah translated as “be still” here can also be translated “release your grip” or “relax.” That is a pretty bold statement considering the psalmist is quite possibly describing being holed up in Jerusalem with the Assyrians (nasty, violent conquerors of the time) breathing down their necks. God is commanding relaxed stillness precisely when circumstances scream for frantic action…. Just some food for thought.
Meditating prayer “Be still and know that I am God.” “Be still and know that I am.” “Be still and know.” “Be still.”
When to pray it Your mind is racing—about anything; you’re called in for a meeting about “concerns”; you’re waiting for results or a procedure

When you can’t see the path forward

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Isaiah 30:20-21 “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”	Why this isn’t a platitude Sometimes it seems like the nicest thing in life would be to get a beautiful schematic from God for the future and how our little part of the Story fits. Then I would “understand.” But would I really? Instead, I need to batach—be confident, secure, and without fear—because of the One in whom I’m trusting. There is no guarantee of ever understanding His plan, but He will walk with you.
Breath prayer Inhale: “I trust in You.” Exhale: “You will always be my guide.” Repeat three times.
When to pray it You just got a new diagnosis; the therapy is taking forever/the treatment failed; the future feels so hard

When you ache from emptiness or anger

Psalm 62:8 “Pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”	Why this isn’t a platitude Two Hebrew words, shaphak and machaceh, in this verse are way more intense than I see in English. Shaphak is “pour”, but not like a nice, little goblet of refined prayer gently dribbling onto the altar. It is “gush” or “expel” and is used for Cain spilling Abel’s blood and God’s wrath being poured out. Not gentle. Machaceh is a shelter in a storm that is still raging. Again, not dainty. These words give me confidence when I hear that God can handle and desires my unedited prayers. Honesty isn’t the opposite of faith; pretending is.
Breath prayer Inhale: “Hear my [anger/frustration/hurt/longing], O God.” Exhale: “You are my refuge” Repeat three times.
When to pray it After anyone’s outburst; when you feel hypocritical; when you’re too tired to handle another thing

When you feel completely inadequate

2 Cor 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”	Why this isn’t a platitude Does God give us more than we can handle? Oh yeah. Forget the platitude. Your breaking point is His entry point. He is always supposed to be the One we run to and He will be sufficient (arkeo). He’s promising His adequacy will cover your inadequacy. His grace meets you in the gap between what you have and what you need.
Breath prayer Inhale: “Help me be content in Your grace.” Exhale: “Your power is made perfect in weakness.” Repeat three times.
When to pray it Your life doesn’t make sense (i.e., why would He give you this challenge?); you can’t stop comparing yourself to other caregivers; you feel you’re failing your child(ren).

Do you have some go-to passages? Please comment below, so we can all grow.

If you’d find it helpful to have them where you can see them, I’ve created printable cards for each prayer. Below is an example. The front side has the prayer itself. The back side has the deeper explanation for when you have a quiet moment.

Also, if these prayers resonate, you might be interested in Siege of the Soul—my upcoming book exploring the invisible battles exhausted parents face (told through Screwtape-style letters from a demon trying to destroy a struggling parent’s faith). It’s about naming the darkness so we can find the Light.

Brianne Sutton is the author of Siege of the Soul, a book for parents navigating faith, especially after an unexpected diagnosis. With a background in neuroscience and personal experience with special needs parenting challenges, Brianne writes with empathy and insight for weary souls seeking hope.