If you are having trouble getting out of bed in the morning, this simple prayer strategy can help.  The top 10 reasons people have trouble getting out of bed in the morning are:

Depression and grief over a major life loss

Not sleeping well

Dreading things you have to do that day, such as going to a job you don’t enjoy or facing an unpleasant life task such as a divorce hearing or an exam

Worry, anxiety and stress

Physical fatigue and illness

Burnout

Unemployment, disability and feeling your daily life has lost meaning or purpose

Loneliness

Feeling your life is out of control and nothing you do will change things (example: financial problems)

Being stuck in your past, whether you are having trouble forgiving yourself for something you’ve done or whether you have suffered a major life loss and long for your past happiness.

The following Trouble Getting Out of Bed Prayer uses different physical prayer postures that have been practiced in Christian tradition.  You begin lying in bed and then slowly making moves to move yourself physically and spiritually out of bed and into a productive day.

Trouble Getting Out of Bed Prayer

1. Lying face down

Begin your prayer postures by lying in bed on your stomach with your face down on the pillow if possible.  This prayer posture is one that shows the mental, physical and spiritual struggles you are undergoing which are weighing you down when you awake.  Lying face down on the pillow is  not a terribly comfortable position and the awkwardness of the physical position will give your mind and spirit a strong sensation that this is not a place where you want to stay without making changes for the better so that you can breathe more freely.

Jesus used this prayer posture in the Garden of Gethsemane when he was facing the crushing burden of his impending death.  The Bible says, “Going a little farther, he (Jesus) fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me…’”  (Matthew 26:39 NIV)

While lying face down in bed, pray, “God it seems impossible to get up and face today.”  Then tell God m the specific things that are troubling you.  Following the pattern of Christ’s prayer, it’s even OK to ask God to take the problem away.  However when you do so, try to also pray as Christ did when facing crucifixion, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  (Matthew 26: 39 NIV)

2.  Lying on your back with your arms outstretched in the sign of the cross.

When you have briefly expressed in a sentence or two the reasons you are having difficulty getting out of bed, turn over in bed onto your back and spread out your arms forming the sign of the cross.  Lying with outstretched arms in the sign of the cross is a prayer posture that has been practiced in monastic orders and by other Christians throughout the ages.  I Corinthians 1:18 says  “For the message of the cross…to us who are being saved …is the power of God.”  (NIV)

crossWhile lying on your back with your arms stretched out in the sign of the cross, pray, “I claim for myself today the power of Christ that is in the cross.”   You can also briefly meditate on Christ, his great sacrifice of love for you and how you need His supernatural help in getting out of bed and facing the day.

3.  Sitting up in bed

Next, go from the lying on your back position to sitting up in bed with your feet hanging down over the side of the bed.  You can recall the following scene that took place in the empty tomb on Easter morning.  Mark 16:5,6  “As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side…’Don’t be alarmed,’ he said, ‘Your are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!’”  Also, the act of sitting down in the Bible is a symbol of Christ’s triumph and completion of his redeeming power in which we share.  “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.”  (Revelation 3:21 NIV)

While sitting up on the edge of the bed pray, “I claim Christ’s resurrection power for my body, mind and spirit today.”  You can also meditate a moment on the incredible events of the resurrection that turned the worst day of the disciples’ lives into the very best and the fact that just as Christ was victorious, we too can be victorious against the odds.

4.  Standing at the side of the bed.

Next, slide off the side of the bed and stand up on your feet.  Standing is another traditional prayer posture.  Worshippers stood in the Temple during daily prayers and today people often stand during prayers of invocation, etc.  You can recall the Bible verse that says, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then…” (Ephesians 6:13,14 NIV)

Israel Mary Loud 370While standing at the side of your bed pray, “I claim Christ’s power to be able to stand firm against the reasons I feel like staying in bed and I believe he can give me the power to stand firm today against the problems I face.”  Then name your problems and then meditate on the fact that God can help, protect and guide you to get through the challenges of the day.

5.  Making the bed.

After finishing your prayer time standing  by the bed, proceed to make the bed.  This has two purposes.  The first purpose is to keep you from giving into the temptation to get back in bed once you have gotten up.   It is also a symbolic act of faith that God has heard your prayer and that He will be with you to help you get through the next hour and the hour after that until you have completed the course of the day.  You can recall the Bible verse that says, “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up!  Pick up your mat and walk.’  At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” (John 5:8, 9 NIV)

While making the bed pray, “I believe that you have heard my prayer and will walk with me today.  Bring order to my life problems in the same way I am bringing order to the pillows and blankets on the bed.”  Then meditate on the faith you are exercising in getting up and making the bed and how in the verse in John a paralyzed man could immediately walk again.  Claim your freedom from the paralyzing thoughts, fears and feelings that have tried to make you unable to get up and get out of bed.

6.  During the Day, recall your prayers for extra strength when you need it

Later as you go about your day facing the issues that have made it difficult for you to get out of bed, take a moment to remember the different graces from God that you have activated in your morning prayer time.  Then say a quick silent prayer and gain confidence that God will see you through.

7.  In a later prayer and meditation time during each day, pray through the problems you have identified that make it difficult for you to get out of bed.

As a part of your prayer relationship with Jesus, establish a time of prayer and meditation later during the day where you regularly take the time to read the Bible, pray about your problems and then are able to listen to what God might have to say to you.  Since you are having trouble getting out of bed, it’s best to schedule this prayer, study and meditation time at a different time during the day when you are not on a deadline, when you have more mental energy and when you have more time to explore how to handle your problems in healthy ways.   Also avail yourself of prayer partnerships, support groups and Christian friendships where you can gain insight and ideas into approaches to your problems.  At the end of this article are links to articles on this website that offer prayers and prayer strategies for a life situation you may be experiencing.     

Tips and Ideas

When you first try this prayer method, you could begin by simply doing the prayer postures as part of a short ritual to help you get out of bed.  Later you can add in the prayers and personal meditations.

Another idea you can try is to put the prayer sentences or scriptures on a small piece of paper on your nightstand so you can read them first thing in the morning.  If it’s dark in the room, this forces you to turn on the light which is another physical reminder to you that you are bringing God’s light into your worn out spirit and into your gloomy day.  If you’re planning on reading the prayer sentences or scriptures, make sure if you need reading glasses to have them on the nightstand within easy reach.

If you’d like to add stretching exercises to the postures, this can add to the physical refreshment of the prayer time.  When I visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem I observed the devout followers of Judaism doing a rhythmic rocking motion back and forth while bending at the waist during their prayer.  Consider using this or another rhythmic motion during the standing period.

Raising your hands during the standing period is another good prayer posture, which can either symbolize that you are surrendering yourself to God, you are reaching up to him for help or that you are lifting him up in praise.

In the prayer phase where you are making your bed, you can systematically name problems you need help with during the day by connecting them to each step of the bed making.  For instance as you pull the sheet up, you might pray every day for the same family concern.

Links to prayers for specific life challenges

Insomnia Prayer

Morning Prayer Using Inspiring Bible Verses

Depression Healing Prayer

A Prayer for Depression

Morning Prayer Using Inspiring Bible Verses

Christmas Grief, Loss and Depression Prayer When You Don’t Feel Like Celebrating Christmas

Copyright Karen Barber 2014.  All rights reserved.