Practical prayer ideas

Prayer doesn’t have to mean sitting still.

Try some of these practical prayer ideas that weave prayer into your daily life…

1. How to invite God into every moment…

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God.”

– Brother Lawrence

Try inviting God’s presence into every part of your day: think about God every hour, then half hour, then 15 minutes. We’ve got a handy PDF guide to help you get started.

2. How to keep persevering in prayer…

“Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit” 

– Luke 18:1

It’s okay to ask, ask and ask again when we’re praying. Try using your routine to remember to keep persevering:

Use your hands – choose five people or situations you want to pray for.  Assign a finger or thumb to each, and spend five minutes a day praying for each one.

Use your mirror – is there something you look at several times a day like a mirror, window, computer screen or phone?  Write a note and stick it where you’ll see it most as a reminder to pray

Use your clothes – do you have a favourite accessory or piece of clothing you wear often?  Assign a prayer request to a specific item and every time you wear it, remember to pray for that specific request. 

3. How to vary your time of prayer…

Take a dice and allocate a different kind of prayer or prayer activity to each number. Roll the dice and spend a few minutes on the particular prayer challenge that it corresponds to.

4. How to have a mini quiet time wherever you are…

The P.R.A.Y acronym is used on our Lectio 365 and Lectio for Families apps but it also can help you pray for different things in just a few moments:

P is for pause: Stop what you’re doing to be still and invite God’s presence where you are.

R is for rejoice: Spend a few moments in praise, perhaps listening to your favourite worship song, reading a favourite Psalm, or writing a thankfulness prayer

A is for ask: Who, or what, is on your heart today? Spend a few moments talking to God about what you need, and the needs of others.

Y is for yield (or Yes!): Spend a few moments giving everything back to God; your worries, fears, uncertainty.

5. How to be the answer to your prayers…

• Challenge yourself to do something for someone else who might need an unexpected blessing. You could try…
• Doing the washing up, and praying that your household have clean hands and a pure heart. 
• Treat someone to lunch, and pray that your love and attention reflects Jesus. 
• Send someone chocolates or flowers anonymously, and pray they can better understand how much God loves them.
• Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in the queue, and bless them with joy.
• Leave food next to a sleeping homeless person and pray that the Father would provide for their needs.
• Help a person struggling with heavy bags, and pray that they know the light yoke of Jesus.