Have you struggled with praying before? Maybe in tough seasons, it was difficult to even find the words to pray. Or you’ve felt distracted or overwhelmed by several things at once, so praying did not seem like a doable option at the time.
There may have been times where you did not fully see God answer your prayers, or He did not answer them the way you hoped He would, so you lost hope. I’ve been there in all those times, and I still go through times where praying feels difficult.
“If God already knows what I’m thinking and feeling, why pray about it?”
I think we can get stumped with this question sometimes. However, instead of wanting to commit to a healthy prayer life, we tend to what to move on without prayer because “God’s in control anyway” (as we sometimes say). But we are actually missing the whole point of prayer in those times.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. – Matthew 6:5-15
As we see in the Bible where Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray, He emphasizes the importance of them praying in private. Now, not all our prayers have to be in private with the Lord, but I believe Jesus is wanted to emphasize that our prayers build intimacy with the Lord. As with any relationship, you want to spend alone time with the other person to get to know them on a deeper level and build your relationship. The same concept applies with Jesus. Prayer opens the door for conversations to build intimacy and deepen our relationship with the One who is always with us.
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:6-9
We also see in Philippians 4 that our prayers can change and shape the way we think. Not all our thoughts are true, honorable, pure, right, or lovely. However, praying to the Lord about what is on our minds can allows us to gain understanding and wisdom on if our thoughts are true and pure. In praying during anxious times, we are better able to discern our thoughts through the lens of God and lean on His understanding.
Maybe you have been wanting to build your prayer life more in your everyday life, but don’t know where to start. I wanted to mention a few practical tips that have helped me to build habits around my prayer life:
- Prayer List – At the beginning of each month, make a list of things to pray for each day. Examples can be people in your life, your career goals, health, or disciplines you are working on.
- Reminders – Set reminders during the day to pause and pray. Maybe start with two at first, one reminder to pray in the morning and the evening. Then add more times after time goes by.
- Prayer Journal – I personally get more out of my prayers when I write them down in a journal. I feel less distracted and more present with my prayers as I write my thoughts out. You could also do this in your notes app on your phone.
- Accountability partner – Ask a friend to hold you accountable for your prayer life. Open up about what goals you have in mind for your prayer life and ask them to walk with you through this season.
Of course, we will continue to fall short, especially when life gets busy, or we get distracted. We may start to feel distant from God. However, He is always waiting for us with open arms and loves to hear our voices. Hope this encourages you and helps you to work on your daily prayer time with God.
With love,
Claire
By Grace Through Faith 
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