A Gentle Prayer for the Space Between Days
On Night, Sleep & Exhaustion
There is a sacred space between days — those quiet hours when one day has ended but the next has not yet fully begun. This is liminal time, threshold time, when we stand between what was and what will be. This prayer is for that space, for those who find themselves awake in the transition.
The space between days is neither fully night nor morning. It belongs to neither yesterday nor tomorrow. It is its own kind of time — suspended, quiet, in-between. Many find this space unsettling. Others find it strangely sacred.
This is a prayer for inhabiting that threshold with peace rather than anxiety, for finding God in the in-between rather than rushing through it toward the next demand.
What Is the Space Between Days?
It is the hour when you turn off the last light. The moment when the day's tasks are finally done but sleep has not yet arrived. It is 11pm or midnight or 2am — whenever you find yourself suspended between one day's ending and another's beginning.
- The quiet after everyone else is asleep
- The moment when activity finally stops
- The threshold between doing and being
- The liminal hours that belong to no one
- The sacred pause between chapters of life
This space can feel lonely or precious, anxious or peaceful. How we meet it often determines how we experience it.
Why Thresholds Matter
In spiritual traditions across the world, thresholds are considered holy. Doorways, boundaries, transitions — these are places where the ordinary meets the sacred, where one reality touches another. The ancient Hebrews marked doorposts. The Celts honored thin places. Monastics pray at the canonical hours.
The space between days is a natural threshold. The old day dies. The new day is not yet born. We stand for a moment in neither, in both, in the space where God is especially present to those who pause to notice.
Rather than rushing through this time, we can learn to inhabit it — to let the threshold teach us what it knows about endings, beginnings, and the grace that holds both.
A Prayer at the Threshold
This prayer is for the quiet moment when one day meets the next. It asks nothing except presence — yours and God's, meeting in the in-between.
Lord of endings and beginnings, I stand in the space between days. The old day is done — I cannot change what it held. The new day has not begun — I cannot yet know what it will bring. In this threshold moment, I rest. I release yesterday. I do not grasp at tomorrow. I am simply here, in the sacred in-between, where You have always met Your people. Hold me in this quiet space. Let me feel the holiness of transitions. Let me learn what thresholds teach.
You do not need to do anything with this moment. You only need to be present in it. The threshold itself is the gift.
A Practice for Threshold Hours
Consider creating a small ritual for the space between days. Not an elaborate practice, but a simple acknowledgment of the transition. A moment of intentional presence at the threshold.
- Light a candle as you enter the threshold hours
- Speak a word of release for the day that is ending
- Sit in silence for a few breaths before turning to sleep
- Thank God for bringing you to another threshold
- Trust that what comes next will be held
The space between days is not wasted time. It is sacred time — if we learn to receive it as such.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is liminal space?
Liminal space refers to the threshold between two states — the "in-between" place where one thing has ended but the next has not begun. The word comes from the Latin "limen," meaning threshold. These spaces are often associated with transformation, transition, and spiritual openness.
Why do threshold times feel significant?
Transitions naturally invite reflection. When we stand between what was and what will be, we often become more aware, more present, more open. Many spiritual traditions recognize thresholds as thin places where the sacred feels nearer.
How can I make the most of evening transitions?
Create a simple ritual that marks the passage — this could be as brief as a few conscious breaths, a moment of gratitude, or a spoken release of the day. The key is intentionality, not complexity.
Is there a Christian tradition of evening prayer?
Yes. The Liturgy of the Hours (also called Divine Office) includes Compline, a night prayer said before bed. Many Christians also practice the Examen, reviewing the day with God. Evening prayer has deep roots in both Jewish and Christian tradition.
Related Reflections
- For Those in the Space Between What Was and What Isn't Yet — On inhabiting life's larger transitions.
- A Prayer for When the Day Won't Let Go — Releasing the day as night arrives.
- A Nighttime Dreamweaving for Emotional Exhaustion — When you come to night emptied.
- Browse All Reflections — Find more quiet spaces for the searching soul.