When you think of prayer, you might picture your pastor sharing passionate words during Sunday sermons. Or you might see a loved one beautifully petitioning God for his blessing over your family at dinner.
Sometimes, prayer feels intimidating. Thoughts may start to swirl like, “I can’t pray like that, so should I even try?” or “Am I even doing this right?” But prayer isn’t supposed to be intimidating, scary or hard.
“Pray continually.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17, NIV
The only way to pray continually or without ceasing is to make prayer as natural as breathing and as simple as talking to a friend. After all (spoiler alert), God is our friend, and we can come to him as we are.
Proof of the Simplicity of Talking to God
“Lord, save me!” — Matthew 14:30 (NIV)
It was just three simple words — but it moved the Savior. In Matthew 14, we find one of the shortest prayers ever recorded in the Bible. Jesus was walking on the water toward the disciples’ boat as they floated on the Sea of Galilee.
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” — Matthew 14:28, NIV
Jesus told Peter to come. Peter got out of the boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus. But fear took over when he saw the wind and waves around him. In Matthew 14:30, Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately grabbed his hand, saving him from sinking.
Peter didn’t have a bunch of pretty words to say. He didn’t try to think of the most spiritual phrases — there wasn’t time. In his desperation, he simply asked Jesus to save him, and Jesus did.
In Matthew 15:25, the woman whose daughter was in desperate need of healing cried out, “Lord, help me!”
In Mark 10:47, the blind man shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
In Luke 23:42, the thief on the cross next to Jesus said, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
This is how simple prayer, or talking to God, can (and should) be. Need healing? Tell him. Thankful? Tell him. Angry? Tell him. In need of saving like Peter? Tell him. He doesn’t require pretty words and phrases — he just wants our hearts. We’re free to come to him all day, every day, with whatever comes our way.
Want to learn the absolute basics of talking to God? Read: How to Pray: 5 Simple Steps to Follow.
How to Talk to God: 7 Tips for Everyday Prayer
If prayer still feels a bit intimidating, that’s okay! Learning how to talk to God gets easier when we make it a real, everyday part of life. These simple tips will help you start talking to your heavenly Father in simple, natural ways as you go about your day.
1. Remember Who You Are
In John 15, Jesus says something incredible to his disciples:
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” — John 15:15, NIV
Jesus called his disciples his friends. And as his follower, you’re his friend too.
Take a moment to think about how you might spend time with a close friend. You might don your favorite sweatpants, laugh over inside jokes and talk openly and honestly about anything and everything. And those dishes in the sink? You leave them because your friend loves you regardless.
Freeing, isn’t it? See, Jesus wants you to come as you are to him too. He wants to hear about your fears and worries — your joys and sorrows. When you pray, you can curl up next to him and share it all without fear. After all, he calls you his friend.
2. Start With a Simple “Thank You”
Sometimes, the easiest prayer to pray is that of thanksgiving. And we can practice these prayers many times each day. All you have to do is say, “Thank you.”
Thank you for my warm mug of coffee this morning. Thank you for helping us make it to school drop-off safely. Thank you for my job. Thank you for my warm home. Thank you for the food on our table. Thank you for loving me today.
Try thanking God for one simple thing today. Perhaps make it a challenge to thank him for one thing each day. As we grow in gratitude, we’ll grow closer to God, making talking to him even simpler.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV
3. Keep It Honest & Short
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. … Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. — Psalm 139:1-4, NIV
Before we even pray, our heavenly Father knows exactly what we need. How? Because he knows our thoughts. He sees our hearts. The beauty of this truth is this: We don’t have to pretend with God. We don’t have to have a million fancy words strung together for him to hear or understand us.
Instead, when we pray throughout the day, we’re free to be open, honest and simple. Just like Peter’s prayer when he was sinking, sometimes, the most powerful prayers are the short ones we utter in desperation, need and faith in our Father.
“God, I’m tired.”
“Lord, I need peace.”
“Thank you for being with me.”
“Father, this is really hard. Please help me.”
“Jesus, I don’t know what to say.”
4. Use Your Bible
God’s Word is a great place to start when it comes to simple prayer. There are endless Bible verses you can pray for any situation you may face.
For example, maybe you’re facing a scary situation in your life. An encouraging Bible verse for overcoming fear is Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV):
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
You can then turn this Scripture into a simple prayer that might look something like this:
“Father, I’m scared. But your Word says you go before me and are with me. No matter how this situation turns out, I know that you’re with me. I don’t have to be afraid. Thank you, Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
5. Write Your Prayers
Did you know that the book of Psalms is full of prayers? Many times, King David called out to God when he was in trouble and to praise him for his faithfulness. And as a writer, King David wrote his prayers down, giving us the incredible book we have today.
If the mighty King David wrote when praying to God, we can too! In fact, for many of us, writing our prayers might come more naturally than speaking them.
Give it a try by spending a minute or two each morning or evening jotting down a quick prayer. You may even choose to keep a daily prayer journal. As a bonus, it helps you remember God’s faithfulness when you can reread past prayers and see how he has answered and sustained you along the way.
6. Use Structure When Feeling Stuck
If you’re feeling stuck, you can use a simple structure to jump-start your prayer time. For example, try the Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication (ACTS) method that goes a little something like this:
Adoration: Start by praising God for who he is. For example, “Father, thank you for your great love for me and your faithfulness.”
Confession: Next, openly talk to God about any sins you may have committed. Ask him to forgive you and help you avoid temptation.
Thanksgiving: Take a moment to thank God for his blessings, like answered prayers or the people and things he has given you, like your family and your home.
Supplication: End your prayer by asking God for what you need. For example, you might need guidance or healing.
Another great way to pray is to use the Lord’s prayer — which is how Jesus taught his disciples to pray.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today 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 the evil one.” — Matthew 6:9-13, NIV
Following this example, you can structure your prayer like this:
Praise God for who he is.
Ask for his plan to be fulfilled in your life and in the world.
Ask for what you need.
Ask for God’s forgiveness.
Ask him to help you through temptation.
7. Turn Worries into Prayers
In this world we live in, one thing is certain: Every day will bring us something new to worry about. But what does the Bible say about these worries?
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. — 1 Peter 5:7, NIV
Whenever a new worry threatens our hearts, we can give it straight to God through simple prayer. That doctor’s appointment? Give it to him. That new medical bill? Give it to him. That fight you had with a friend? Give it to him.
When worry starts to overtake you, all you have to say is, “God, I’m worried about [Insert Your Situation]. Please help me.” Your father is faithful to lead you through.
God’s Word says, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you” (Jeremiah 29:12, NIV). When we pray, God listens, even when it’s the simplest of prayers. Let this truth inspire you to talk to God, your Father and friend, today.
