In my Lenten devotional today I’m encouraged to prayerfully ask, what characteristic of Jesus do I long to develop in these 40 days of wilderness?

I paused when I heard trust, and then a scripture came to mind.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
_{Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV}

It’s true. I do desire the kind of trust Jesus had.

Trust to enter the wilderness and battle temptation with truth
to go where God leads no matter the outcome
to speak peace in a raging storm
to face ridicule and keep going
to endure rejection with love
to cry in grief’s garden
and pray
“not my will but yours Lord.”

I’m not there yet, but I trust more than I used to, more than I did yesterday. It spurs me to whisper a breath prayer I pray often.

Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.

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Breath prayer is a simple phrase or word, prayed to the rhythm of an inhale and an exhale.

Inhale… Jesus, have mercy on me

Exhale… a sinner.

You can find more breath prayers in the prayer guide, Breathing His Word, on the free resource page at DiscoverGodsWay.com.