BOOK REVIEW | Prayer That Relieves Stress and Worry
Prayer That Relieves Stress and Worry
by Eddie Ensley
In Prayer That Relieves Stress and Worry, Ensley introduces readers to various types of prayers and meditation techniques for Christians. The following quote places the entire purpose of the book into perspective. “Accustom yourself to speak to God, one to one, in a familiar manner as to the dearest friend you have, and who loves you best of all.” — St. Alphonosus Deliguor
Here are a few types of prayers discussed in the book:
The Jesus Prayer. Ensley begins the book with a well-known prayer from Matthew 6:9, known as the “Jesus Prayer.” Many people have learned “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” The author encourages readers to set the tone for relieving stress and worry, by focusing your mind and thoughts only on God.
The Scripture Prayer. We can read scripture to obtain more than just knowledge, but divine revelation. Often times we read or memorize scripture, but we should take the time to soak in God’s word, taking the scripture apart and letting God’s word speak to us.
The Conversational Prayer is like having an intimate conversation with your closest friend, but on a higher level. This friend, being Jesus, knows and understand all about us unlike our earthly friendships.
Meditation. Ensley discusses meditation in detail. He explains to readers, meditation is more than making your mind blank, but using your imagination to connect with God. “In Christian meditation, we discipline the imagination and use it to open ourselves to the God of Scripture.”
Ensley’s meditation techniques involve envisioning Jesus beside you which may seem strange at first to do, but the author leads readers through examples that involve visualizing scripture. For example:
“He [Jesus] got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:39
During this scene, can you picture the disciples during a storm, scared and afraid, coaxing Jesus awake and then the great power that comes from Jesus rendering it all quiet around them? Using this visual imagery, how can this help calm you in the midst of your “storm?”
I’m going to be honest, I put this book to the side several times because I really didn’t think I could relate to it. I’m one of those people who can be stressed, but I fly through life like everything is okay. So, surprisingly after reading the first chapter, I became more intrigued with Ensley’s techniques.
He writes with a mixture of memoir, discussion and then application (meditation techniques) in each chapter. For a couple of weeks, I read the book during devotional time and found it to be down to earth and make perfect sense. There are hints of Ensley’s Catholic background, but the book has good biblical principles for someone seeking a closer connection whether you are Protestant or Catholic. It’s real easy to fall into a rut or routine and lose the connection we all strive to have with God. I would recommend reading this book as a start-up to getting back on track if you desire something different.
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