 A while ago, I reported how after knee surgery I had trouble walking down stairs. My physical therapy consisted mostly of stretches performed several times per day. I realized from these that I could improve a skill not just by repeating the process (like walking down stairs a lot), but also by preparation (like quadriceps stretches and leg lifts while on my back or leaning on a tree). I picked prayer as a discipline to improve. A prayer stretch would be something that is not prayer that improves prayer.  Humility was my first choice for a prayer stretch. Why? That's the best way to pray for the first time: “God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Subsequently: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.” (Rick Warren). “If you meet a really humble man, ... probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him.... He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.” (C.S. Lewis) That kind of humility helped my frequency of prayer and emotional transparency before God. It continues to be a preparation for prayer. That kind of humility certainly helps relationships! Likewise, stretches of Forgiveness and Thankfulness have become part of my prelude to prayer. A little thought will convince you that no virtue stands alone. Virtues support other virtues. Recently I have been reviewing the Lord's Prayer. The line "your will be done" is a commitment first to learn what God wants; and then to make it so, ideally with other people. Though narrower in scope, I find the line, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" to be the most challenging in the Lord's Prayer. Isn't this a contract? Immediately after the Lord's Prayer Jesus underscores the logical penalty: "If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." This same ominous warning is repeated to close the story of the unjust servant in Matthew 18:21-35. Something to consider: How does the Lord's Prayer differ from my prayers? What do my prayers add? And especially, what in the Lord's Prayer do my prayers omit?
Don't panic. Probably all points in your prayer are modeled by other outstanding Biblical prayers and principles. Here is a list. I suspect what Jesus selected to include in this model prayer are God's priorities that his followers tend then and his followers now tend to omit, and should add to daily prayers. My knee is better, my prayers are better. I need to work on, among other things, forgiveness. Ha, forgiveness is easy, except when it involves people. Forgiving a Christian brother or sister can involve confrontation and an escalation procedure, per Matthew 18. The hope in confrontation is to stimulate repentance. But what if the offender is not known? How do I handle a hit-and-run? Do I mutter, "I forgive whoever it was scratched my car--the scabiferous rat." Do I stew forever? How about when I'm afflicted by a group of disagreeable people, a greedy corporation, a whole other nation that has missiles pointed at me? Forgiveness takes both humility and confidence. The strength to forgive doesn't come easy. Here I offer a batch of "forgiveness stretches". Some of these simply broaden my perspective and get above the fog of resentment.  Five Stretches for Better Forgiveness Forgiveness means “canceling a debt”. Forgiveness does not mean:
Stretch #1: Love!
Love: Have compassion. Do kindness. Inasmuch as I practice unconditional compassion and kindness, then decisions about forgiveness are not complicated. Forgiveness can be reflexive rather than calculated. Stretch #2: Discern! “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment…” Philippians 1:9-11 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God…” James 1 Stretch #3: Rejoice! “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians chapter 4 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew chapter 5  “Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison, and then waiting around for the rat to die.” - author Anne Lamott Stretch #4: Ask God to Do the Forgiving You Cannot Do, and Trust God to Do It
Stretch #5: Persevere
 “While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4 What are your Spiritual Stretches?
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Our Writers:At The Surge we love doing things together... that includes writing a blog! Here are a few of our main contributing authors: Greg JohnsonJesus++ Anna Mari GreenEnjoys being busy and trying lots of new things. But she loves Jesus, her family, good food, photography, and travel Dwaine DarrahOur fearless leader, and Lead Pastor at The Surge. His experience in counter terrorism with the CIA prepared him for ministry and he likes dogs and babies even more than E does. EE (short for Eric Reiss) is the XO / Wingman at The Surge and likes dogs, music, Mexican food, his wife Karen and his daughter Evangeline... not necessarily in that order. Archives
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