Poetry as Prayer: Expressing Faith Through Verse

All throughout the Bible, poetry and song have been a prominent way to express joy, pain, victory, fear, doubt, love, jubilation and praise. The Psalms are probably some of the most relatable scriptures for many of us. They encapsulate the thrill of victory, the low moments of despair, and the genuine heart cry of the deep in us calling out to the deep in God. Psalms lead us through encounters with the Good Shepherd, down to the struggle in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and on to a place of victory, feasting in the presence of God.

As I read the Bible, I’m continuously amazed at how God loves words. And the best part is, we can express everything in our heart to Him through words. One of my favorite ways to do this is through poetry.

Finding God Through Poetic Expression

Some years back, as I struggled with feelings of loneliness and trying to discover God’s purpose for my life, I began writing small poems. Now, I am by no means a poetry expert and at the time I knew even less than I know now, but I found that through expressing my deepest thoughts through poetry I was actually reaching God’s heart through prayer.

I don’t know about you, but prayer hadn’t ever been something that excited me. I saw the value and importance of prayer, but I still didn’t feel excited at the prospect of sitting down for extended periods of time to pray. And yet, through writing down poems, I found myself continuously praying and pouring out my heart to God.

The Beauty of Broken Words

My poems (or prayers) weren’t long, or elaborate, or even close to professional. In truth, they were small, broken bits and pieces of all the things going on in my life. And yet, these prayers turned into my safe space — the one where I knew I could take refuge in and let everything in my heart and mind out.

And that’s what Psalm 62:8 says: “Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him. Believe me when I tell you—he will help you!”

God loves when we invite him into every corner of our lives. He values our words and he hears (and reads!) every one of them that we bring to him.

Starting Your Own Poetry Prayers

How can you start your own poetry prayers? If you’re a word lover, just start with the things bringing you greatest joy or weighing you down right now. Write them out as a simple poem. It doesn’t have to be bright, perfect, or impressive. It can be two or four broken down lines full of sincerity. That’s the best place to start.

If prayer has been something that weighs you down with the sheer bigness of it, start small. Start with something you’re thankful for. Write something you’re dreaming about. Or share with God one thing burdening your heart. Write a line, and two or three will follow.

God Speaks Through Our Words

A few months back, I had these lines pop into my head:

“When the wind howls and you don’t know what to do,
Don’t worry, remember: I made the night too.”

This tiny thought turned into a longer poem and it reminded me that, no matter how scary a situation may seem, God can be found in the night time as well. My fears turned into reassurance as God spoke back to me through my words.

The Invitation to Pray

God is eager for our words and our hearts. He will await every whispered prayer and written word. And better yet, as I experienced, a year’s worth of poetry prayers can be answered in one moment.

“Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Jesus Christ. Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.” – Philippians 4:6-8

Until next time, Anna