Prayer is a vital spiritual discipline for all believers. But like many spiritual disciplines, it can be hard to cultivate. So many things compete for our attention that we often forget how important prayer is.

Prayer is our relationship with our Creator and Savior. Like a power cord, it forges a connection with God so that His power can flow through us to impact others. If you want to be set on fire for Jesus, prioritize prayer!

I know how hard it can be to cultivate prayer. Today, I want to share with you some powerful ways to make praying a priority in your daily life.

Develop a Daily Prayer Habit

Life can be busy, and it’s easy to forget to pray. But if you have made prayer a habit, it becomes part of your life. That’s why scheduling your prayer time is so valuable.

When creating a habit, it’s helpful to have “triggers” that remind you to perform the habit. Triggers are actions or events which, when they consistently precede a habit, will make it easier to remember to perform the new habit. For example, if you always brush your teeth after breakfast, eating breakfast becomes a trigger for brushing your teeth.

Things you already do daily make excellent triggers for prayer. I pray in the morning, so, for me, that looks like having prayer time right after I get dressed. Triggers may work differently for each person, however, so it’s important to find what works for you and your schedule. It’s helpful to incorporate prayer into a morning or evening routine, but the most important thing is to find a time to do it.

Sometimes, it can be tricky to find a time to pray. However, if we make our relationship with God a priority, we will find that when we “draw near to God,” He will draw near to us (James 4:8 NKJV). Plan a time that works for you, and schedule prayer into your day—you’ll be glad you did.

Persevere

Be patient with yourself! Habits don’t happen overnight. It has been said that it takes at least twenty-one days to form a new habit. Don’t expect perfection of yourself; just give your best. If you miss a day, pick yourself up and keep going.

God wants us to persevere in prayer. Colossians 4:2 tells us to “continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (NKJV). Jesus told a parable in Luke 18 to remind His disciples to “pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1 NKJV). In this parable, He discussed a widow who pleaded with an unjust judge to hear her case. Although he was unjust, because the widow persisted and didn’t give up, the judge heard her case to be rid of her. Jesus used this story to affirm that a just God will certainly hear our prayers if we persevere!

It’s hard to persist in prayer, though. Sometimes, it can seem like God isn’t there. We may become discouraged with creating a prayer habit and wonder if it’s really “working.” However, God has promised us that He will hear us when we ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). A habit of prayer is definitely worth it. Sometimes you might feel like giving up, but don’t do that! Perseverance is the key to experiencing the power of prayer in our lives. Don’t lose heart, Rose!

Pray Scripture

The Word of God is powerful in all areas of life, and this certainly does not exclude prayer. This power is described in John 15:7 when Jesus says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (NKJV). This is a powerful but conditional promise—we must abide in Christ and His Word to experience this power.

Praying God’s own words back to Him is one way to let His words abide in us. As the truth of God’s Word washes over us and our prayers, we begin to pray the heart of God. His desires become our desires, and that’s what gives the promise its power.

One tool I have used to help me with this is a “Scripture prayer journal.” This can be as simple as a one-subject notebook or a binder filled with notebook paper. I title the top of each page with a topic of prayer—I have a page for each of my family members, friends, and prayer needs I’ve heard about—and then fill the page with specific prayer needs and Scripture verses that speak truth over the situation. During my morning prayer time, I add to this notebook and pray the Scripture verses over each need.

I love this method because it’s a simple way to remind myself of God’s promises and truth as I pray. Praying Scripture can look different for each person, but it’s important because it lets our prayers be a result of abiding in Jesus through His Word. Pray with your Bible open, and let God’s Word guide your prayers.

Pray Corporately

Both corporate prayer and individual prayer are important. While Jesus often “withdrew into the wilderness and prayed alone” (Luke 5:16 NKJV), He also stressed the importance of praying with other believers:

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV)

If your church has regular prayer meetings, attend them! If you don’t know of any regular prayer meetings you can attend, consider starting a group. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. When even a small group of God’s people gather to lift one another up in prayer, powerful things happen.

Prayer is a vital part of our life as believers. Let’s make it a priority and experience its power today!

What is one way you can prioritize prayer in your daily life?

Comment below, Roses, and let’s uplift one another!

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