The idea of talking to the Lord God Almighty and his son Jesus Christ can be intimidating, and most especially for those new to the faith, Christian fellowship, or prayer. After all, how do you pray when you don’t know what to say?
How Do You Pray When You Don’t Know What to Say?
Yes, God is the Heavenly Father, the Creator of all things possible and impossible, but does that mean that He is not approachable? Not at all! God wants us to pray. He wants us to communicate with Him, to be honest with our feelings and our emotions and our weaknesses, even our sins. He wants us to open our ears to His wisdom and grace. He also wants us to share what’s in our heart with Him. How can we do that if we don’t pray?
Praying is about spirituality and faith. Praying is your opportunity to talk to God at any time, any day, and in any season. It’s a time when you can thank Him for his creation and wonder, and it’s also an opportunity to pray for something that you believe you need.
There are a number of reasons for praying, and your prayer may be given in the fellowship of others or in a private conversation between you and Your Father in Heaven. When praying, God will be able to see into your heart and spirit. In this way, your spirituality and faith in him is confirmed, because without such, why would you attempt to pray in the first place?
The act of prayer is a confirmation of your belief and faith in Him and His Son Jesus Christ, and that He does and will hear you. So what do you pray when you don’t know what to say?
Say a Prayer in Thanks
Many Christians offer prayers and thanksgiving for the blessings in their life. Your prayer can be as simple as thanking God for your health, for the food on your table, or the roof over your head. It could be for sparing the life of a loved one or for granting you security and support in your daily endeavors. Prayer comes from the heart, and as such, you can talk to God as if you would to a best friend. At the same time, communication with God through prayer should always be given in a spirit of humbleness, respect, and knowledge of his all-knowing power over… everything.
Pray to Confess Your Faults and Ask for Strength and Self Improvement
It’s important for all of us to confess our sins or when we’ve done wrong to someone, or often, for our own shortcomings. Offering a prayer to God asking for the fortitude to resist sin, for stamina, and for strengthening of one’s faith are just a few reasons to pray to God. In doing so, you are acknowledging His power and grace, and when you ask in the name of Jesus Christ His Son our Lord, you can rest assured that He has the power to forgive your sins, so be diligent and try not to make those same mistakes or commit those sins again, on purpose, over and over again. We’re human. We make mistakes, but God’s loving kindness and forgiveness is there for us if we only ask in honesty and with faith and belief in Him and His grace.
Pray with Gratitude for What You Have
When you don’t know exactly what to say, pray for gratitude for what you have been given. Many of us get so wrapped up in our busy lives that we forget to acknowledge what we have. We often tend to focus on what we don’t have or what we want that seems beyond our reach. Rest assured that God knows what we need. Jesus Christ himself told us, on the Sermon on the Mount, that God knows what we need before we do. (Matthew 6:8).
Start with the Lord’s Prayer
Your spirituality and faith in God and in His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is the foundation of prayer. Believe and have faith that God does hear you, no matter how many times a day you pray or how long or short your prayers. Jesus himself gave us a prayer that we can say when communicating with our Heavenly Father. Take the time to not only read, but understand what the words are saying:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
There are a number of prayers found in both the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible that can serve as a guide of sorts as what to pray when you don’t know what to say. For example, in the book of Philippians (4:6-7), we are told, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
God Wants to Hear from Us
God wants to hear from us, and so you can, and should, pray when you don’t know what to say all the time. Give thanks. Look around you and marvel at His creation and experience the wonder of the simple things in life. You don’t have to ask God for something when you pray. You can thank Him for what He has created, what He has giving you, and your trust in Him.
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” (Psalms 150:6)So even if you don’t know what you should pray when you don’t know what to say, give thanks, give praise, give gratitude, and most of all, pray for your enduring faith and belief in God the Almighty and in His son Jesus Christ.
