As a follower of Jesus, you know that prayer is a big deal. But maybe you’re like many Christians who find it hard to pray consistently. If that’s you, don’t worry. God is full of grace and isn’t mad at you. Instead, He wants to spend more time with you and invites you to find hope, peace, and strength through consistent time with Him.
Let’s discover a few ways to develop a more consistent prayer routine.
Why Is It So Hard to Pray?
Busy schedules, unlimited distractions, and—to be honest—boredom, right? It seems like a lot is working against us. So how do we face these challenges head-on? First, we remember the point of prayer.
Prayer is an honest conversation with God, who loves you and wants to spend time with you.
When we pray, we ask God for guidance, help, and wisdom. We also spend time in silence, listening to His direction.
Prayer reminds us that God is always with us no matter how alone we feel. And it reminds us that, no matter how small we might feel, the God of all creation is on our side.
Use the tips below to fight for consistency as you pursue a habit of prayer.
3 Tips for a Consistent Prayer Habit
1. Make a Plan to Pray
Starting any new habit is hard, but it helps when you have a plan. If your plan is simply to “pray more,” then it’s probably not going to make a big difference in your life. Instead, set a specific plan that includes a time and place.
Put prayer time on your calendar, set reminders, and make space for prayer to be a consistent part of your life. Creating a plan fuels consistent prayer. Choose to pray at the same time every day. Once it becomes an ingrained habit, it’ll become second nature.
Don’t worry if that sounds intimidating. You can start small. Even a few minutes a day can make a big difference.
2. Create Visual Reminders
We have spaces in our workplaces and homes for specific things. You might have a desk where you work, a chair where you sit at dinner, and a go-to place for relaxation. Stepping into each of those spaces acts as a cue for your brain, reminding you to be productive, slow down, or relax.
That’s why creating a set “prayer space” in your home can be so helpful. It might be a favorite chair, your dining room table, or a spot in your backyard.
In addition to creating your space, you may consider other visual reminders to fuel your prayer habit. For example, you might keep a prayer journal in a visible place or have a coffee cup reserved for your prayer time. These visual reminders can create cues that lead to consistent, personal prayer.
3. Pray With Others
When we pray with others, we get to share our challenges and find strength in God together. It allows us to grow closer to our friends, family, and others in our church. But it can also be challenging.
It can be hard to make a habit of praying with others—everyone’s schedules are so busy! But neglecting to pray together robs us of the peace God offers us through community.
So, start with the people around you. You could start praying with your roommate, spouse, children, or parents every morning. Or you could spend a few minutes before church praying with people you meet there. Don’t worry about hours-long prayer meetings—just see what happens when you devote a few minutes each week to praying alongside others.
Keep Praying
Prayer is an ongoing conversation with God. He loves you and wants to hear from you. So pray whenever you feel like it. Driving to work, folding laundry, or waiting in a drive-thru line can all be opportunities to talk to God.
For more practical tips on prayer, check out these resources:
- Want to know what prayer is and how to pray? Check out this article on the Lord’s Prayer.
- Try these example prayers for strength.
- Learn how to develop other spiritual disciplines.
Learn More
To learn more about Life.Church, check out the links below:
- Find a Life.Church location near you or attend online.
- Watch recent Life.Church messages.
- Listen to life-giving music from Life.Church Worship.
- Discover helpful answers to questions about faith and relationships.
- Share a prayer request.
