Sometimes prayer can be overwhelming. We don’t know where to begin, or what words to say. We have groanings in our spirit too deep for words that only the Spirit can understand. Have you ever just not prayed when you felt this way? I have. Feeling like I must have words to attach to my feelings in order to make God understand makes God small. He is the Lord of all. He knows our hearts.
When we can’t find the words, sometimes an activity can help us focus and express our thoughts. This is
called active meditation. Now don’t freak out at the word meditation, I’m not going woo-woo on you. Ever heard of a prayer walk? Same concept. For me, coloring allows me to wordlessly express my yearning for peace and beauty – what I look for when I connect with God. By coloring I put myself in a meditative or prayerful state, God does the rest. He calms me and restores my soul, just as described by David who wrote Psalm 23 (who incidentally prayed through music and singing of songs).
Coloring for adults has been rapidly gaining in popularity. As of this morning, four books on Amazon’s top 20 best seller list are coloring books. I got mine from a local bookstore as I was preparing myself for my first infusion treatment for Crohn’s disease. I was terrified. I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I needed something that would take my mind off of the nurses, needles, and the drug being pumped into me over a 3 hour period. When I sat in the chair, I took out my coloring book and pencils and began to focus on beauty and serenity. God met me there, and I am grateful.
Have you tried coloring as a meditation or prayer? Pop over to my facebook page and post your pictures, I’d love to see some of your work.