The Power of a Prayer Bracelet and Its Significance

A prayer bracelet may seem like a small thing but is a tool used to guide us and help us focus on our prayer.

Fashion is so diverse and creative in recent years as people choose to express themselves more and more in every way they can, including their fashion style. Bracelets are some of the most common pieces of accessories people wear.

There are different kinds of bracelets these days. Some have a special knot, some are religious, some are bracelets made for friends, and some tell a special story. Since more and more people want to express themselves and their beliefs through fashion statements, some Christians have decided to include prayer bracelets in their style.

Prayer Bracelet

What is a Prayer Bracelet?

A prayer bracelet is not just any ordinary bracelet. These bracelets contain prayer beads. Although many shops sell them and offer worldwide delivery, they can still be as unique as the individuals wearing them.

The beauty of these bracelets is in their flexibility. They are used to help people focus or give guidance when praying. This means that it does not matter what one uses as a material to make them. It is their meaning and their use that is important.

Origin of a Prayer Bracelet

The invention of the prayer bracelet is attributed to Saint Anthony and they have existed even before the world hit the middle ages. It is believed that Saint Anthony took a rope and would tie a knot every night to keep track of prayers.

The devil would always come and unravel the rope, making the saint lose track of his prayers. They were first used by Eastern Orthodox Christians for prayer. It is believed that the earliest common materials used in these bracelets were pebbles or a rope with knots.

The prayer bracelet has a long and rich history. Roman Catholics have their prayer beads and they call it the rosary. To be more inclusive, people have widened the range of bracelets that can be used for prayers.

What is the Importance of Using a Prayer Bracelet?

Serve as a Reminder to pray

Sometimes, the world might seem to be moving too fast for us. With demanding and competitive workplaces, goals or bucket lists to cross off, and milestones to chase and achieve, it can feel like time is moving too fast and we can barely get anything done.

We find that we barely have enough time to take care of ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. We see our children growing by the minute right in front of us. With all that is going on, time for prayer can be bumped lower and lower on our priority list.

But, if we have a visual reminder to pray attached to us, it might be easier to find time to talk to the Lord. We can commit to having a dedicated time of prayer once a day or once a week. Whatever we decide, a prayer bracelet can remind us to contact our Father.

Serve as an encouragement or guide

Although there are no strict rules when it comes to using prayer bracelets, we can find suggestions and guidelines. They can help us especially if we are just starting in this covenant with God. It can take a bit of pressure because we can follow the recommended things to pray.

We can also use the prayer bracelets to remind us of a verse that speaks to us. They can also help us remember and recite these verses. A prayer bracelet may seem like a small thing but we can get a lot of benefits from it if we try.

Serve as a prayer list

A prayer bracelet can have beads, wood, knots, silver charms, precious stones, and many more. We can use these materials by assigning a prayer item to each bead, to each knot, or precious stone.

It is all up to your preferences. Sometimes by touching the beads or looking at them and counting, we can be reminded of all the things we want to pray about, and this way, we will not miss any.

How are Prayer Bracelets Used?

As Christians, we believe that all power comes from the Lord. A prayer bracelet does not have any power to answer our prayers. Only God can do that. We do not need a prayer bracelet to search for God because He is always with us. 

There are no strict rules when it comes to using a prayer bracelet. As mentioned earlier, a prayer bracelet is a tool used to guide us and help us focus on our prayer.

We can find lots of suggestions on the internet but there are many kinds of prayer bracelets and they have different significance and uses so we cannot put concrete steps that one has to follow. Suggestions and guidelines can be very helpful but it will ultimately be up to us how a prayer bracelet will help us in our prayer depending on our needs.

Prayer Bracelet

How to Make a Prayer Bracelet?

You can buy all kinds of prayer bracelets and other bracelets from different stores at a regular price and many of them ship worldwide and has great service. But, some good news awaits those who love to DIY.

You can make your prayer bracelet! You can give them as a gift or you can keep them for yourself. Here are some things you can consider when making your prayer bracelet. For this part, we will be talking about how to make a bead prayer bracelet specifically.

The more traditional prayer bracelets mostly use six colors to remind us of our faith journey and the story of God’s selfless love. Of course, we are not limited in these colors when we make our bracelets but they have a pretty good message. Here are the colors and what they symbolize:

Black

Black symbolizes sin and our acknowledgment that we are sinners. We have been deceived by the devil, saying that we are better off living in sin than with God. Still, God called us and gave us hope.

Red

God did not just cheer us on. God died for us so that our sins would be paid so we do not have to pay with our lives. Red symbolizes Jesus’ blood on the cross; love’s ultimate sacrifice.

White

When Jesus dies for us, He cleansed us from our sins, meaning we were forgiven and made new. We were drowning in sin before and now God has lovingly scooped us up, forgiven us, cleansed us, and taken us away from evil.

Blue

Blue is a color most commonly associated with water. In Christian tradition, water is often associated with baptism. It is a declaration of our association with God and our desire to be a part of His kingdom.

Green

After we decide and declare that we are entering into a relationship with God, growth will surely follow. Green is the color of the plants and is often associated with freshness and potential. So are we.

Yellow/Gold

Gold is traditionally associated with grand and royal things. There is nothing grander than heaven. This color reminds us of what is waiting for us after this life if we remain faithful to God.

It is good to be reminded of all of this and we can easily do that by making a bracelet and wearing it on our wrists.

Popular Types of Prayer Bracelets

Kabbalah Prayer Bracelet

Kabbalah prayer bracelets might be the oldest kind of prayer bracelet. They are made of red strings that are tied in a special knot. They have to be red, they have to be knotted seven times, and they have to be worn on the left wrist. It does not require any beads but we are welcome to add charms like the ichthus or a cross.

A special prayer of protection comes with it. It is used in many different religions and is generally believed to protect people from misfortune. In Christianity, people often pray this prayer before leaving the house, invoking the protection of the four archangels as they go about their way that day.

Bead Prayer Bracelet

One of the most common types of prayer bracelets is the bead prayer bracelet because it is so versatile. It can help us keep track of our prayer requests because there are times when we get overwhelmed and can barely keep up with life.

We can use beads that are made of wood or glass. It is entirely up to us. These beads just serve as a reminder that we tie on our wrists to help us connect with God.

Serenity Prayer Bracelet

Reinhold Niebuhr’s story is an interesting one. He was a German-American theologian and his daughter recalls that he first used the serenity prayer in 1941 during one of his speeches against the Nazis.

There may come a time in our lives when things get overwhelming, we feel like we are drowning, and no one is coming to save us. God is always there for us and He will never let His children be harmed. The next time you feel alone and overwhelmed, maybe a serenity prayer bracelet will remind you of this prayer and bring you comfort:

O God and Heavenly Father, grant to us the serenity of mind to accept that which cannot be changed; courage to change that which can be changed, and wisdom to know the one from the other, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Prayer Partner Bracelets

The Bible says that having someone to help out and count on is good (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). When one of them falls, the other person can help the fallen to get back on their feet. Let us be honest, keeping a strict and regular time for prayer is not always easy.

There will be times when we feel too tired, distracted, or hurt to focus on praying. It will be good if we have someone that can help us through these emotions and find enough peace in our hearts to say a prayer. A prayer partner bracelet can be a good reminder not just of prayer but that we are not alone in this mission.

Prayer Bracelet

In Summary

It is amazing how something so tiny can connect moments in human history. I imagine Saint Anthony holding on to his prayer bracelet, seeking God’s face and will, and how I do the same today. 

The God they prayed to and the God we pray to are the same and He never changes. Prayer bracelets do not bring success or healing to us or our family and loved ones but prayer bracelets give us special offers in our exploration and discovery of prayer. If you are looking for a sign to buy or make a prayer bracelet, this is it!

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Alex Shute
EDITOR
Alex Shute, MBA
Alex is a family man and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow.


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