You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered how to improve your prayer life. Many sincere Christians find it simple to offer a brief prayer in times of need, but they find it difficult to maintain a long-term, in-depth dialogue with God. However, the Bible reveals that Jesus, the Son of God, was a man of persistent, prolonged prayer. In times of crisis, he prayed briefly; in private, he prayed extensively. Both were deliberate. They both had a transformative effect. You can maintain that same pattern by adopting these five habits. A regular flow of shorter communications (brief prayers throughout the day) combined with longer, more personal discussions (unhurried moments of isolation with God) constitutes a healthy prayer life.
Jesus served as an example of both types. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” he would occasionally say in a brief prayer (Luke 23:34; see Mark 15:34; Luke 10:21, 23:46; John 11:41–42; 12:27). On other instances, he dedicated long periods of time to prayer, often spending the entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12–13; Matthew 5:16; John 17:1–26).
In times of need, many Christians find it easy to pray briefly (“Lord, let this meeting go well”), but they find it difficult to pray for longer periods of time. What do you do with that time? What topics do you discuss with God?
Think about five practices or perspectives that can enhance your prolonged prayer sessions.
5 Practical Habits to Help You Improve Your Prayer Life
1. Unwind and relish your father’s company
Being in our Father’s presence is the most important aspect of prayer. Fear of not “doing it right,” akin to a student reluctant to tackle a challenging arithmetic problem, is one of the most prevalent obstacles to prayer. However, prayer is not about figuring out a formula; rather, it is about cherishing a connection. The Lord takes into account the attitude of our hearts rather than the beauty of our words (see Psalm 51:17; 62:8; Isa. 29:13; Hos. 6:6; Matt. 6:7; Luke 18:10–14).
“Go to him,” said Dane Ortlund. Opening oneself up to him is all that is required. Allow him to adore you. Going to your Father and resting in his love is the first step in prayer. God isn’t criticizing you, just like any loving father would. He is not keeping track of how many words you use that sound spiritual. All he wants is to be with you.
2. Give God your full attention
You could remember a moment when you were using your phone to browse while someone was speaking to you. You put down your phone and met his gaze after realizing you weren’t paying close attention to him. Long periods of prayer are comparable. These are times when we put aside all outside distractions and focus on God.
It takes practice to give God your whole attention. I’ve found that praying aloud in private settings—like the automobile, a locked room, or a forest preserve—has significantly improved my ability to concentrate. My phone’s storage has also proven crucial.
For me, prayer walks are a lifesaver. Fresh air, more oxygen for the brain, and the ability to openly and passionately communicate with God are unparalleled. Worship is aided by being surrounded by God’s creation.
Allow your distractions to lead you to greater connection when you are praying. Bring all of your distractions to God, whether they come from your to-do list, anxiety, longing, or anticipation. Place it in front of him. Let him in. Give him all of your worries since he is concerned about you (1 Pet. 5:7).
3. Make a plan
When it comes to how to improve your prayer life, structure is one of the best solutions. Lack of direction is a common cause of wandering thoughts during prayer. You get that guidance from prayer prompts. The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 is a useful guide; take a moment after each line and apply it to your own circumstances. Thousands of Christians have also utilized the ACTS framework, which stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication, to transition from superficial to profound prayer. A useful guide is the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–13). After every line, take a moment to apply it to your situation. Another useful abbreviation is “ACTS,” which stands for adoration, confession, gratitude, and supplication.
Any Scripture, including the Psalms, can be used for prayer. Another great approach to spend time with the Lord and love the people in your life is to gather prayer requests from other members of the congregation or loved ones and pray for them.
4. Be honest
Vulnerability also fosters intimacy with God. Because you’ve practiced covering up in previous talks or because you’re afraid of acknowledging your shortcomings, it can be simple to keep your prayers superficial. However, God already knows you completely; he wants to assist you, and he will never sin against you.
The next time you pray, tell the truth:
- “I know you’re good, Lord, but right now it doesn’t feel like it.”
- “I’m tempted to look at something I shouldn’t, Lord.”
- “Lord, I’m trying to be happy for my sister because I’m jealous of her.”
According to Philippians 4:6-7, prayer is more of an invitation to let God bear our difficulties than a duty. However, we have to give him all of our messy baggage. Although it may seem frightening at first, God frequently uses honesty as a way to release us.
5. Have patience and keep in mind that God is at work
The last and possibly most difficult habit on how to improve your prayer life is patience. Because we live in a world where people react instantly, it is simple to mistake God’s silence for absence. However, Jesus was purposeful: “Always pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1). When we are unsure of what to pray for, the Holy Spirit Himself speaks on our behalf (Romans 8:26–27). It is not your responsibility to pray flawlessly. It is your responsibility to appear. In Luke 18:1, NLT, Jesus exhorted his followers to “always pray and never give up.” Paul, the apostle, tells us that even though we find it difficult to pray, the Holy Spirit makes intercession on our behalf in line with God’s purpose (Rom. 8:26–27).
You can confidently approach the throne of grace, believer, not because your prayers are flawless but rather because God consistently answers them, even when it appears like he’s saying no. No word or tear will be forgotten by God (Ps. 56:8). Go to him, then. Have faith in him. And take solace in his tender embrace.
In the end, developing a relationship is more important for improving your prayer life than learning a technique. Each of these five behaviors indicates the same reality: God doesn’t wait for you to have a flawless prayer life before He gets closer. He’s already close. He’s waiting for you to face Him. This week, start with only one behavior. For seven days, maintain consistency. Next, add one more. What first felt like punishment would eventually start to feel more like home.
