Over half of Americans (55%) say they pray every day, according to the most recent Pew research.
You may hear this statistic and think, “I don’t feel like praying that often.”
But if you’d like to start a practice of regular prayer, you might simply need to approach it differently.
Conversations with God shouldn’t be a boring or burdensome chore. If it feels that way for you, it may be time to change things up.
Here are some other ways to go about communing with the divine.
1. Tell Him About It
In the Bible, God does instruct us to pray. In fact, Paul says we should “pray without ceasing…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). And if prayer is something God instructs, then it’s absolutely for our benefit.
But are we expected to say a bunch of words we don’t mean just to check this task off a list? Not at all. It makes zero sense to put on a false enthusiasm for God, whose “understanding is beyond measure” (Ps 147:5).
If you don’t feel like praying, take the time to sit before Him and respectfully admit it. You might ask Him for the desire to seek Him. Any conversation with God is better than no conversation. Then you might try some of the following options…
2. Read the Prayers of Others
For a lot of people, simply figuring out what to say is a deterrent to prayer. Maybe you’ve been trying to follow a prayer formula like A.C.T.S. (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication). But after doing this for days on end, your prayers fall flat and don’t carry the depth and emotion you wish to convey. The whole endeavor may begin to feel exhausting.
But there’s another option, which is to pray the beautifully crafted prayers of believers who came before you, like, say, Mother Theresa or John Wesley. You will find that many pre-written prayers will powerfully express what you want to say, and oftentimes, God will speak to you through them.
You might use the Anglican Church’s “Book of Common Prayer” and benefit from knowing that Christians have been reciting these same prayers for centuries before you. Or you might lean on the words of a more modern theologian. Consider “When You Don’t Know What to Pray: 100 Essential Prayers for Enduring Life’s Storms” by Charles F. Stanley, or “The Divine Hours” series by Phyllis Tickle.
Consider joining hundreds of thousands of others through the years in praying the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.
3. Prayerfully Read Scripture Back to God
The Psalms were a Jewish prayer book, one that Jesus often quoted. Reading the Psalms back to God doesn’t take a lot of creative effort. But when your heart and mind are engaged, it’s a powerful form of prayer. Here are some options:
- When you don’t know what to pray: Psalm 5, 19, 20, 23, and 25
- When you need God’s help or guidance: Psalm 40:1-4, Psalm 116:1-9, Psalm 119:33-40
- When you are feeling overwhelmed: Psalm 55:18-23
- When you need reassurance: Psalm 27
- When you want to repent: Psalm 51
- When you are feeling grateful: Psalm 9
4. Use a Guided Prayer App
Sometimes you just need to close your eyes and listen as someone else guides you through prayer. There are a number of Bible study apps that walk you through Scripture, leading you to meditate, pray, and learn what God has to say to you.
Some excellent options are Lectio 365 (which is free) and Abide and Hallow (which each require a paid subscription but have free portions).
5. Go On a Prayer Walk
If you’re feeling restless, you might turn your prayer time into a prayer walk. This is a practice where you walk around an area outside and pray for the needs of those who reside or work there. You might come in contact with houses, a school, a business or a playground. All of these places contain people who could benefit from your prayer.
Just the act of walking might bring prayer topics to mind. Let God’s spirit guide you as He brings people and places into view and invites you to ask Him to bless them.
6. Try Imaginative Prayer
This method of prayer was made famous in the 1500s by St. Ignatius of Loyola. It involves reading a passage from Scripture several times.
As you go, you imagine yourself in the story, asking questions along the way. Who are you in this story? What do you see, hear, feel and smell? What is Jesus doing? What does he look and sound like? What is He saying to you through this passage?
This is the type of prayer practice that gets you out of your own mind and brings you into a head space where God might speak to you personally.
7. Make “Our Father” Personal
Everyone knows The Lord’s Prayer. After years of recitations, it can begin to lose its profound meaning for you. But you can also approach this prayer as a way to enter into a personal conversation with God.
When you say “Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be your name,” stop and contemplate what this means. He is sovereign over all the earth, and your focus should begin on Him and Him alone. Meditate on this.
When you say, “Your kingdom comes, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” pause again and reflect on what God’s rule and reign look like. How would the world around you be different if everyone lived by His will and His kingdom? Who do you know who needs God’s kingdom to impact their lives? How might you live as one of His subjects?
Continue through the prayer, stopping to reflect on your personal needs for provision (daily bread), forgiveness, and deliverance from evil.
8. Try Listening
Instead of talking to God, try a listening prayer instead.
In a quiet place, begin by slowing down your breath. You might repeat a phrase slowly, such as “Lord have mercy” or “Come Holy Spirit.” Random thoughts will probably rush in, and as they do, calmly ask God to silence them. Then ask Him to speak to you as you open your mind to listen. Wait quietly and see what happens.
A word, phrase, or a Scripture passage may pop into your mind. You might picture someone or experience a feeling.
If nothing comes, simply thank God for loving you. God speaks when He wants to, and you can rest in the fact that you’re not in control of that.
If you do feel like you’ve heard from Him, test it to make certain that what you received lines up with Scripture. If you feel God was telling you to help someone, go and do it!
9. Find a Prayer Partner
If you’re an extrovert, your prayer deterrent may simply be the aspect of solitude. But there’s no rule that prayer has to be primarily done alone. So, find another extrovert and schedule prayer times together in person, on the phone, or over Zoom.
Not only will it keep you accountable to maintain a regular prayer practice, but you’re helping another person to do the same. An added bonus: “Where two or three are gathered together in My name,” said Jesus, “I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19-20).
10. Make Every Day Different
A regular routine is a comfort to some and a burden to others. If a steady habit of prayer is eluding you, try adopting several of the options mentioned here.
On Monday, try imaginative prayer. On Tuesday, go on a prayer walk. On Wednesday, read some Psalms during your prayer time. The end goal is a relationship with God, and like all relationships, yours will be unique.
Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers? (6 Biblical Reasons)
Do you feel angry, hurt, disappointed, or confused because God hasn’t answered your prayers the way you want Him to? There may be a very good reason why He hasn’t.
Be sure to check out this article on 6 Biblical Reasons God Doesn’t Answer Our Prayers.
10 Bible Verses About Trusting God in Difficult Times
When you’re going through trials and suffering, Scripture verses about trusting God in difficult times can be such a comfort. The Bible’s whole narrative is about humanity’s journey in trusting their Creator.
Meditate on and pray through these verses about trusting God in difficult times when you need a reminder about the big picture: God’s story, what He’s doing in the world, His boundless grace and mercy, and how much you matter to Him.
10 Bible Verses About Trusting God in Difficult Times
Jennifer Graham Kizer has written features and essays for over a dozen magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Health, Parents, Parenting, Redbook and TV Guide.
