Boost Your Prayer Life: 10 Practical Techniques

How is it possible to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)?

It can seem impossible to pray without ceasing with all we have to do as we care for our family and ministry.  While we cannot stop activity, we can incorporate more prayer into our activities.  

Let’s be honest; on many days we are so overwhelmed with the day-to-day activities that we neglect prayer altogether.  When we neglect it, God is disappointed because he didn’t get to spend time with us. D.L. Moody reminds us of how God views prayer.  “Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking; the way to trouble God is not to come at all.” 

In a recent survey of 14,000 people, 72% of respondents indicated they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their prayer life. Further, Harvard University showed a positive correlation between time in prayer and an improvement in psychological well-being, including anxiety and depression. The more frequently the individual prayed, the more positive impact it had on their mental health. So, we have to figure out how to include more prayer in our daily lives and be intentional about it!

10 Techniques for prayer:

1. Use a journal.

Journaling prayer requests helps me stay focused in prayer and builds my faith as I review it. I’m reminded that God is faithful and can be trusted because He has proven Himself trustworthy.

2. Take a prayer walk.

Walk while you pray. As I view the beauty of His creation, I am reminded of His power and goodness. Consider letting your route guide your prayers—interceding for neighbors or businesses.

3. Let Scripture guide prayer times.

Use Scripture to guide your prayers. The Psalms are a great place to look for inspiration. If you would like specific Scriptures to aid prayer for the military, check out these 25 Scriptures to pray over those serving in the military.

4. Pray during activities.

Here are activities that can become times to talk with God.

• Holding Children — Talk to God while nestling your little one.
• Shower — I have a suction cup whiteboard in my shower where I record my prayer requests. 
• Driving in a Car — Turn your radio off and talk to God instead.
• Folding Laundry — Pray while folding and putting away clothes.
• Washing Dishes — Pray while washing dishes.
• Coffee Brewing — Pray while your morning cup of Joe brew or your tea seeps. 
• Microwave Running—Pray as your microwave heats food.

5. Paint or draw your prayers.

Use your artistic expression to guide you in requests. This would be a valuable skill for kids.

6.  Remove distractions.

Go outside. I struggle with distraction in my home with all the tasks staring at me. Step outside of your home so that you can focus on the Lord. The birds singing often draw me into the worship of our Creator.

7. Try using a prayer app.

There are some great tools to help us focus on communing with God. Here are four suggestions: 

• The You Version App has a “Guided Prayer’ section under the daily refresh. This feature takes four to six minutes and uses the Lord’s prayer as a model. The App includes daily prompts that help you reflect on Scripture, encourage closeness with God, and talk to Him about what’s on your mind. Listen to the calming music. 
• Pray! App — Sends reminders of prayer requests.
• Prayer Prompter — Prompts topics to pray about and gives you a passage suggested to read through and pray back to God
• Instapray — Allows group settings that share prayer requests with a small group.

8.  Pray while listening to music.

Turn on worship music and allow the lyrics to motivate and lead you into prayer and praise.

9.  Pray with a prayer group or a prayer partner.

Join a group for regular prayer. I’m a faithful member of Moms in Prayer where I gather with other moms and pray Scripture over my kids. With our many moves, I often sought a prayer partner. We held each other accountable to pray but we also formed a close friendship. 

10. Establish a prayer closet.

Create a special place to pray free from distractions. You might not have the luxury of a closet you can set aside for prayer, but you can set up a small, inviting sacred space where you can talk to the Lord. I turned my side of the bathroom into my prayer wall. Alternatively, you can assign a specific chair for prayer where you can place your journal. Use it as a guide about specific things you want to talk to God about.  Write out your thoughts in response to the Bible passage you’re reading. 

Research shows that when we set time aside for prayer, especially in the morning, we are more likely to pray consistently.  The frequency of prayer goes down when prayer is not scheduled.

Question:  What is your favorite time of the day to pray and what is one prayer need you have right now?