I do not know how to pray to God
On this page we will think about prayer. We will learn what prayer is. And we will learn about some different ways to pray.
You can read the whole page, or you can click one of these links to jump to the part you want to read.
I do not know what to say to God
What is prayer?
When we spend time with a friend, we can talk to them. We can listen to them. And we can be together without talking.
Spending time with God is like this. We can do all these things when we pray.
Why should I pray?
When we spend time with a friend, we get to know them better. We care about the things they care about. We become closer friends.
It is like this with God too. When we pray, we get to know God better. We care about the things he cares about. We become closer friends with him.
God loves it when we pray. He really loves spending time with us.
How can I talk to God?
There are no rules about how to talk to God. He just wants us to talk to him!
We can talk to God any time and anywhere. We can talk to him out loud. And we can talk to him quietly inside our minds. Our prayers can be long or short.
We do not have to use special words when we pray. We can talk to God just like we would talk to a friend.
When we pray, we can tell God what is happening in our lives. We can tell him how we are feeling. We can say sorry to him when we do bad things. We can thank him for the things he has given us. We can ask God to help us and the people we love. When bad things happen in the world, we can pray about those things too. Click here to learn how to pray when bad things happen in the world.
Some people like to sit still when they pray. Some people like to walk around or do something with their hands. You could write your prayers like a letter or draw pictures of your prayers. Why not try different things and see what works for you?
I do not know what to say to God
If you do not know what to say to God, you are not alone! Everyone feels like this sometimes. It can be hard to find the right words to say what we want to say. Here are some things that might help.
Pray someone else’s prayer
You could try using a prayer that someone else has written. However you are feeling, someone else has felt the same way. So it might help to find a prayer that says what you want to say. It might even help you think of your own words too.
You can buy books of prayers, like this one. There are also lots of prayers on the Internet. And there are some easy read prayers at the bottom of this page. Find a prayer that says what you want to say. Read it to God as your own prayer. Add your own words if you want to.
Pray a prayer from the book of Psalms
Did you know there are prayers in the Bible? The book of Psalms is full of songs that people wrote to God. Some are happy, some are sad and some are worried. Read a few Psalms and see if you can find one that says how you feel. Read it to God as your own prayer. Add your own words if you want to.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer
The most famous prayer in the Bible is called The Lord’s Prayer. This is a prayer that Jesus taught to his followers.
The Lord’s Prayer is a really good place to start if you are finding it hard to pray. You can pray it as it is. Or you can add your own words to make it about your life.
This is the Lord’s prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
we pray that your name will always be kept holy.
We pray that your kingdom will come—
that what you want will be done here on earth, the same as in heaven.
Give us the food we need for today.
Forgive our sins,
just as we have forgiven those who did wrong to us.
Don’t let us be tempted,
but save us from the Evil One.
Praying other people’s prayers reminds us that we are not alone. Other people feel the same way we do. And it is a good way to start a conversation with God when we are not sure what to say.
Can I pray without talking?
Sometimes life is hard or confusing. It might be hard to talk at all. It can help to spend some time with God quietly. This can feel strange at first, because we can’t see God. But the Bible says he is always with us.
There are lots of ways to spend time with God quietly. You can sit somewhere comfortable, or go for a walk or a run. If you like, you could do something with your hands, like colouring or gardening. Choose something to do that you do not need to think about. This will help your mind to rest.
Start by thanking God for being with you. Then try thinking about God, looking at a picture, listening to quiet music, or just relaxing.
You can do this for a few minutes, or as long as you like. Remember that God loves spending time with you, even if you are not talking.
Some famous easy read prayers
Here are some famous prayers. They were written by Christians who lived a long time ago. I have changed the words to make them easy to read. You can pray these prayers to God. Why not choose one and pray it to God now?
The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr
Dear God,
When I cannot change things, please help me feel calm and peaceful.
When I can change things, help me be brave and do what you want.
Help me know which things I can change, and which things I cannot change.
Help me think about today and not worry about tomorrow.
Help me keep going when things are hard.
Help me trust that you will make everything good in the end.
I know this will make me happier in my life.
And after I die I will be really happy with you forever.
Amen.
The Prayer of Saint Patrick
Thank you Jesus that you are with me, in front of me and behind me.
Thank you Jesus that you are in me, under me and above me.
Thank you Jesus that you are on both sides of me.
Thank you Jesus that you are in the places where I lie down, sit and stand up
Please Jesus, be in people’s hearts when they think about me.
Please Jesus, be in people’s mouths when they talk to me.
Please Jesus, be in their eyes when they see me, and in their ears when they hear me.
You are the one who helps us.
You are the one who saves us.
Please keep helping us and saving us forever.
Amen.
The Prayer of Thomas Merton
Lord God,
I do not know where I am going. I am worried and confused.
I am trying to do what you want. But I do not know if I am doing the right thing.
But I want to make you happy. And I know that makes you happy.
I hope I will never stop wanting to make you happy.
If I want to make you happy, I know you will help me do the right thing.
Even if I do not know where to go, you will make sure I end up in the right place.
Because of this, I will trust you. I will trust you even when I feel lost.
I will not be afraid, because you are always with me.
You will never leave me on my own when life are hard.
Amen.
The Prayer for Strength by Thomas a Kempis
Father God,
Our hearts are not strong. We keep wanting to do bad things. It is hard for us to do good things.
Please make us stronger. Help us to do good things. Help us not to do bad things.
Help us not to be lazy. Help us fight our fear. Help us not to turn away from you.
Please help us because of Jesus. He saved us and made us friends with you.
Amen.
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Valley of Springs is the online home of Dan and Jo Acharya.
We write devotional blogs to help you grow in your faith and trust God in difficult times.
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