Introduction: Praying with Your Imagination

Over the next 20 days, you’ll engage in prayerful meditation to deepen your understanding of Jesus’ suffering, and to deepen your own sense that Jesus understands your suffering, too.

Each meditation will encourage you to use your God-given imagination to picture, hear, and feel the people and scenes that Scripture describes. Imagination helps us understand the experiences of others and enter more deeply into the biblical story. For generations, the Spirit of God has drawn believers to love and follow Jesus more closely through this kind of prayerful, imaginative reading.

How each day works: You’ll begin by quieting yourself, closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Then you’ll pray a short prayer, such as: Jesus, help me draw close to you by seeing my suffering in yours and your suffering in mine. You’ll read the day’s passage twice, using the prompts to imagine yourself in the scene, and then reflect on how Jesus’ experience connects with your own. Each day closes by talking with Jesus about what came up for you, and you’re invited to share your reflections with the 7 Cups community.

If imagining feels difficult, that’s okay. Some people find this easier than others. Some “see” scenes in vivid detail, others imagine mostly through sound, and still others “feel” the scene and the people in it. Trust that God will work through the imaginative strengths you already have, and you may find those strengths growing over these 20 days.