How To Pray: A Beginner’s Guide

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How is your prayer life? Are you curious about where to start praying or how to start praying? Praying doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Let me walk you through understanding prayer and how to pray in this list below.

What Is Prayer?

Prayer is talking to God. It is you taking the time to tell God your heart, the good and the bad, your gratitude, seeking forgiveness and guidance. It is like talking to a friend. You are sharing your thoughts, feelings and asking Him to protect, heal and guide you and your family.

Prayer is asking God to change us to bring Him glory. We remember to stand in awe and respect Him as we pray, but also completely knowing we are praying to the One who loves us more than anyone else in the world.

“Prayer is conscious, personal communication with the God of the universe. A better question than “How’s your prayer life?” might be, “Have you been enjoying conscious communication with God — over his word, in your daily needs, throughout your day?” Has your relationship with him been real — not a box to check, not just a hurried place for help, not a vague abstract idea hovering over your head and life? Has your faith been tying you to him in your heart? Have you been leaning on him, and not yourself?” – Desiring God

“Prayer is the most important thing you can do for the most important people in your life.”

Marshall Segal

What Do You Say When You Pray

If you are asking “How To Pray”, use this easy to remember 3 step guide to prayer: Rejoice, Repent and Request.

Rejoice – Give thanks! Thank God for even the small blessings in your life. Be grateful in your prayers.

Repent – Ask God to help you see your sin clearly, ask Him to forgive you and to help you to completely walk away from that sin.

Request – Humbly ask God for things you are needing.

The Gospel Coalition gives these examples:

Rejoice – O Lord, you have richly blessed me more than I deserve. What a privilege that I can call you my God. Thank you for making me a little lower than the angels and crowing me with glory and honor too.

Repent – Forgive me for being blind to your splendor and majesty. Though you are very great, my circumstances and disappointments often feel greater. I’m sorry for being so ungrateful and taking your blessings for granted.

Request – Give me eyes to see as you are. Tune my heart to sing your praise. Help me see your glory in the world you’ve created, in the people around me, and in the face of Christ.

“Virtually all of the Bible leads us to praise God, thank God, cry to God, and confess to God.”

John Piper

Praying The Scriptures

The book of Psalms is a wonderful place to start when wanting to pray the scriptures. There are Psalms for when our souls feel troubled (Psalm 6), for when we are filled with joy (Psalm 30), for when we are praising His deeds (Psalm 66), for when we desire revival (Psalm 85), for when we need help (Psalm 109), and for all other emotions we experience as well.

Example For Praying The Scriptures in Hard Times

Read the bible verse: Romans 8:28-39, “And we know that all things work together for good, for those who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

Pray the Scripture: “And we know that all things work together for Starla, for she loves God, and she is called according to His purpose.”

How To Pray

What Is The Right Way To Pray To God

If you can, find a space for you to have undistracted time. I know as a single mom that private space may not be easy with a house full of kids except maybe in the bathroom and even then the kids come knocking. Even the pets stick their paws under the bathroom door. LOL

However, do your best to find a space as free of distractions as possible. Get your bible or bible app, grab your prayer journal, or notebook, your favorite pen and color pencils and start praying.

Make an ongoing list of who you are praying for, all prayer needs and be sure to list the things you are thankful for – your praise reports.

Start praying for yourself, asking God to forgive you where you fall short and to help you move forward in your day to honor him. Thank God for His blessings, even the small things are a gift from God. Then humbly ask Him for your needs to be met.

Then move out from there. Pray for your spouse and children, your siblings and parents, your extended family and co-workers, your friends and church, your pastor and the church staff, your community and state, the country and world and so on.

Pray and read scripture and then pray again. Remember the 3 Rs. Rejoice, Repent and Request. I also like to write out scripture during my prayer time.

How Do I Start A Prayer To Jesus

What Is The Best Prayer

“When I read Paul’s words in Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,” I wonder… how do I devote myself to prayer when I have a regular life with a job and kids? I forget that Paul was surely talking about a heart attitude, not a never-ending prayer meeting or devotional time. Devoted prayer is a heart tendency to turn to God at each turn in our day.” – Cross Walk

My hand made them; that is how they came to be,” says the Lord. I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.

Isaiah 66:2

The best prayer is from a humble and sincere heart. God already knows your joys and your scars, so why not be completely open and transparent with him? He is God! He can take your raw thoughts and feelings and is loving enough to promise to be near the brokenhearted (Psalms 34:18).

Don’t use prayer to just mindlessly recite the same stuff over and over, but be intentional about seeking after the heart of God.

“Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward! But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Matthew 6:5-8

Your prayers don’t have to be super long and filled with complex words. Pray like you are talking to a friend. God already knows your deepest secrets and He still loves you. So just talk to Him.

Remember prayer is a conversation.  Prayer is talking to God and listening to His response. 

Staying Focused In Prayer

How to stay focused when you pray. What distractions do you deal with? Facebook messages, text messages, phone calls, kids are hungry, the spouse comes asking questions, the laundry needs to be folded, dusting the floorboards and every other good thing that needs to be done.

The real-life stuff that keeps us distracted during our prayer time is good things. Not evil, but things we need to do and are completely okay to do.

We must be super intentional about our prayer and Bible time! You schedule it. You make an appointment with God and you do not cancel that appointment. Protect this time!

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13

Printable Prayer Journal

How Do You Pray With A Prayer Journal

It’s easy to get caught up in wondering if there is a correct way to pray but all you have to do is speak and listen. Simply, tell God what is on your heart by talking to Him. God cares for you and wants you to cry out to Him.

 A prayer journal isn’t meant to be another tedious item to keep track of. It’s meant to be something you desire to do. It’s messy, full of emotion, thoughts, doubts, creativity, and questions. It’s meant to be a tool to connect you to the heart of God. It’s meant to be a way to record your faith walk. It’s a way to deepen your faith and help you share what God has done in your life. It’s meant to be a place of remembrance like the stone altars in the Bible. – Christianity.com

This is my Coffee & Jesus Prayer Journal printable. It is 25 pages and is beautifully designed and filled with journaling prompts, scriptures, sections to write out bible verses, prayers, your thoughts, reflections and much more!

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