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Prayer is one of those things Christians know we should do and even want to do, but a lot of us struggle with being overwhelmed by the concept of talking to God or not knowing where to start. So let’s get super practical. Here are 6 ideas that will help you grow in prayer. Feel free to choose just one or two to try at first.

1. Schedule a time and place.

I’ve heard it said that if you don’t schedule time to pray you’ll always talk about prayer and never actually do it. We schedule so many other valuable things in our lives to make sure they are a priority and we can do the same thing with spending time with God.

Choose a time of day when you are most alert and undistracted. That could be mornings before class or work, or afternoons over a lunch break, or in the evenings before bed. (Shout out to all my fellow night owls!) What works best for others might not work best for you, so keep that in mind.

Start with a length of time you are comfortable with and fits the responsibilities and demands of your schedule. You can expand your time from there as you grow. If spending time with God is new for you, I recommend starting with 15-30 minutes in prayer and 15-30 minutes in the Bible.

Choose a location or a few locations where you can connect with God uninterrupted and undistracted. My bedroom or my desk area in my living are my go-to’s right now. In college, it was my dorm when my roommate was in class or the quiet floor of the library if I couldn’t get back to my apartment.

“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

(Matthew 6:6)

2. Make a prayer list.

A prayer list is a tool that helps you list out topics and prayer requests you want to bring before God, and it guides your time in prayer. I like to use a model called Devotion-Petition-Intercession. Read my blog How to Make a Prayer List to learn more about using this kind of tool in prayer. Prayer lists have helped my prayer life so much!

3. Pray the Bible

 I say this all the time: A strong prayer life is supported by the Word of God.

Praying Scripture helps us pray for things that are in agreement with God’s character and will, which is a key to answered prayer (1 John 5:14-15 // 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Praying Scripture also helps our vocabulary in prayer. It gives us topics to talk to God about that we may not have otherwise and gives us language, in addition to the language of our heart, to express ourselves to God in prayer.

The more you read and become familiar with the Bible, the more you will find yourself integrating it into your prayer life and the easier it will become for you to pray prayers that are clearly rooted in the truths and promises of God’s Word. Read my blog, How to Pray the Bible to learn some methods of praying Scripture during your Bible study, over your prayer list, and in prayer meetings.

4. Follow the Holy Spirit.

Did you know that Holy Spirit wants to help you pray? Romans 8:26-27 says that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, one of those ways being that He helps when we don’t know how to pray and He helps us pray according the will of God.

There have been so many times I’ve been praying through my prayer list and the Holy Spirit will bring to mind a different subject, or a person, or another Bible verse than what I am currently praying and I’ll follow His direction to pray into those things too. Take time to ask Holy Spirit to lead you during prayer and be attentive to His promptings.

5. Pray throughout your day.

Talking to God isn’t limited to your formal, scheduled prayer time. You can live in constant communication with God throughout your day. Some of my most powerful prayer times with God have been on city buses commuting to work, or walking the hallways between classes, and while I’m out running errands.

“Never stop praying.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Even if it’s a thirty-second prayer. Even if it’s a prayer that you pray in our own heart instead of out loud because you may not be in an environment where you can do that. It’s equally as valuable to talk to God about things as they come up in your day as it is to put them on a prayer list to pray about later.

Another thing I like to do sometimes is take a verse from my Bible reading that day and talk to God about it throughout the day. I’ll pray it back to Him. I’ll ask Him for more insight. I’ll even sing worship songs to Him under my breath if no one’s around or say short phrases of praise and thanksgiving to Him. You can do those things too. (Colossians 3:16-17)

Remember that God lives in you through the Holy Spirit, and you can talk to Him and He can talk to you all the time.

6. Pray with others.

Lastly, like much of Christian discipleship, you can learn how to pray and gain more passion for prayer by watching other believers do it and learning how you can participate too. You don’t want to mimic anyone or not be yourself in prayer, but you can learn from and be inspired by fellow believers.

Praying out loud in front of others can be scary when you first start doing it. But stepping out in faith to lend your voice to corporate gatherings of prayer will also help you mature in the spiritual discipline of prayer. You’ll get more comfortable over time!

Here are some books I recommend on prayer!

• Talking With God by Adam Weber (click here to read my book review)
• Enjoying Prayer by Matthew Lilley
• Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler Staton
• The Battle Plan for Prayer by Stephen and Alex Kendrick
• Simple Devotion by Samuel Bentley and Micah Wood

Let’s Talk: Which of these tips for getting better at prayer were new ideas for you? Which one are you most excited to implement into your prayer life and why? Discuss this post in the comments below.