Prayer isn't something we just do in church or during quiet devotions—it can be part of our daily rest and self-care. Resting and caring for your body can be a powerful way to pray and reconnect with God in your daily life.

Praying in color 

A friend of mine performs a little ritual at the end of each week. She soaks her feet, puts on her favorite lotion, and paints her toenails while listening to quiet worship music. It's her way of slowing down and marking the end of a busy week. But what I love most about her weekly ritual is how she chooses her nail polish. Instead of picking a color first, she looks at the fun, quirky names on the bottle. When one stands out, she lets it guide her prayers. A sparkly green-blue shade called "Ocean Depths" reminds her of the depths of God’s love, while a bright pink hue called "Gracefully Bold" helps her pray for the courage to step into the week ahead with both grace and strength.

Praying without distractions

When I was sharing this story with my son, who is in college, he told me a different kind of prayer habit: he prays in the shower. The sound of the water and the warmth of the steam create a space for quiet reflection, and it is the only place he is truly alone. The water reminds him of how God washes away sin and shame, and the soap reminds him to release stress and to surrender his thoughts to God. Some of his clearest and most honest prayers happen right there in the dorm room bathroom, with no distractions, just him and God.

Our body is God’s temple 

Scripture teaches us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that our bodies are temples, or dwelling places, of the Holy Spirit. In Psalm 139:14, David says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” When we recognize that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and are wonderfully made, we see the importance of caring for them. 

Jesus rested, too 

Jesus himself modeled the importance of self-care. In the gospels, we see multiple stories of Jesus intentionally going off to find a quiet place to rest (Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, and Luke 6:12). These moments of rest and retreat were not acts of laziness or avoidance, but rather necessary times to reconnect with his Father. Jesus understood the necessity of times for renewal. And if Jesus, who was fully God and fully human and carried the weight of the sin of the world on his shoulders, recognized the need for rest and quiet, then so should we. 

Self-care can be a way to invite prayer into your daily routines. Some, like my friend who prays while painting her nails, use the space around them to inspire prayer. I have another friend who looks forward to climbing into a perfectly made bed with clean sheets and fluffy pillows. He shared with me that when he makes the bed in the morning, he prays for his health and restorative sleep, paying attention to God’s leading. Others may find that simply sitting in silence and listening to God for guidance is their prayer. 

R.E.S.T.

For me, when I am trying to quiet my mind and do some self-care, like rest on the couch or sip a delicious cup of coffee, I often need a bit of structure to keep my mind from wandering to my grocery list or upcoming calendar events. The acronym REST has been helpful for me. There are many variations of REST, but I have found this example to be the most helpful for when I am weaving prayer into self-care:

R - Remember. Take a deep breath, remind yourself that God is with you, and rest. Sometimes it helps me imagine that God is holding my hand, or that I am resting in his lap. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

E - Embrace. No matter how you feel today, embrace that you are God’s child, his image bearer, and that he loves you. When my heart is tender and I am feeling fragile, I imagine God embracing me. This reminds me of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

S - Surrender. Imagine gathering your pain, stress, self-criticism, anxiety, and frustration into a bundle and handing it over to Jesus. While healing may not come immediately and your problems may not go away, God’s presence is always near, giving us grace and strength to persevere. Remember this message: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). 

T - Thanks. No matter how you feel, your body is a gift from God. If you are struggling with pain or difficulty with a part of your body, take time to notice what other parts of your body are working well and show gratitude for them.  “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Caring for your body as prayer

My challenge to you is not to separate self-care from faith. Too often, we see taking care of our physical or emotional health as something separate from our spiritual lives; it can feel less holy or even selfish. But self-care is a powerful way to pray and worship. Tending to our bodies is an act of thanksgiving and gratitude for the life God has given us. Whether you are taking a shower, painting your toenails, stretching, resting on the couch, doing a puzzle, going for a walk, or participating in some other form of restorative self-care, these moments can be invitations to pray.

May we pray for you? Share a prayer request with us here. We’ve put together a short ebook called “How Do I Pray?” which introduces six ways to reinvigorate your prayer life. Download it free right here.