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How to pray: a simple guide for when you do not know what to say

Updated · By the Versiah team

To pray, simply talk to God honestly, in your own words, about what is actually on your mind. If you need a shape, use the pattern Jesus gave in the Lord’s Prayer, or the ACTS method: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. A few sincere sentences are a real prayer, and it gets easier the more often you do it.

Prayer is talking with God, plainly

Many people feel they do not know how to pray because they imagine prayer needs special words, a special voice or a certain length. It does not. Prayer is conversation with God. The Bible is full of people praying in ordinary language: asking for help, arguing, thanking, weeping, even complaining.

Even the first disciples, who had grown up praying, asked Jesus to teach them. Wanting to learn is a good place to begin.

One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” So Jesus told them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
Luke 11:1-4 (BSB)

The disciples watched Jesus pray and asked him to teach them. His answer was short and simple, a pattern rather than a performance.

King James VersionAnd it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Use the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern

The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4) can be prayed word for word, and many Christians pray it daily. It also works as an outline. Take each line and expand it in your own words.

  1. Our Father in heaven. Remember who you are speaking to: a Father who is near and a God who is great.
  2. Hallowed be your name. Praise him for who he is. Name one thing about God you are grateful for.
  3. Your kingdom come, your will be done. Ask for his good purposes in your life, your family, your city and the world.
  4. Give us today our daily bread. Ask for what you need today: food, work, health, patience, wisdom.
  5. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Confess what you have done wrong, and let go of what others have done to you.
  6. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Ask for protection and strength for what lies ahead.

Praying this way for five minutes will cover almost everything that matters, and it keeps your prayers from becoming only a list of requests.

The ACTS method, step by step

ACTS is a simple four-part shape that many people find easy to remember. Spend a minute or two on each part.

  • A: Adoration. Tell God what you love about him. "You are patient. You are faithful. You made all of this." Psalms such as Psalm 103 or Psalm 145 give you words if you have none.
  • C: Confession. Be honest about where you have gone wrong. Be specific and brief. 1 John 1:9 promises that God forgives those who confess.
  • T: Thanksgiving. Name particular things from the last day or week: a conversation, a meal, a problem solved.
  • S: Supplication. Ask. For yourself, and for others by name. Nothing is too small; Philippians 4:6 says in everything.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 (BSB)

Paul puts asking and thanking side by side. Requests made with thanksgiving are not naive; they remember what God has already done.

King James VersionBe careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Other simple ways to pray

Different ways of praying suit different days. Try a few and see which help you.

  • Pray the Psalms. Read a psalm slowly and make its words your own. Psalm 23, Psalm 46 and Psalm 139 are good places to start.
  • Pray Scripture back to God. Take a verse you read today and turn it into a sentence to him: "You said you would never leave me. Help me believe that today."
  • Breath prayer. A short line prayed in rhythm with your breathing, such as "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me," or "The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need."
  • Written prayers. Write your prayer in a journal. It helps a wandering mind and becomes a record of how God has answered.
  • Set prayers. Prayers from your tradition, prayer books or the prayers of others can carry you when your own words run dry.
  • Silence. Sit quietly for a few minutes, simply aware that God is with you. Listening is part of prayer too.

Our page of Bible verses about prayer gathers passages you can pray this way.

When and where to pray

You can pray anywhere, at any time, with your eyes open or closed, out loud or silently. Still, a regular time and place help prayer become a habit rather than something that only happens in emergencies.

But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6 (BSB)

Jesus recommends a private place, not to hide prayer but to free it from performing for others.

King James VersionBut thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
  • Pick a time you already have. First thing in the morning, the drive to work, before bed.
  • Start short. Five honest minutes are better than an ambitious thirty that never happens.
  • Pray through the day too. Short, one-line prayers in the moment ("Help me," "Thank you") are what Paul meant by praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

When prayer feels dry, or unanswered

Every person who prays has seasons when it feels like talking to the ceiling. That is not a sign you are doing it wrong. Many of the Psalms were written from exactly that place, and they are still prayers.

  • Tell God how it feels. Psalm 13 begins "How long?" Honest complaint is a form of faith.
  • Keep showing up. Prayer is a relationship, and relationships have quiet stretches.
  • Let others pray for you. When you cannot find words, the prayers of friends and your church can carry you.
  • Remember you are helped. Romans 8:26 says the Spirit prays for us when we do not know what to pray.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.
Romans 8:26 (BSB)

A comfort for anyone who feels bad at praying. Weakness is expected, and help is given.

King James VersionLikewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

If worry is what fills your prayers right now, read how to pray when anxious for a gentler, step-by-step approach.

A seven-day prayer starter

If you have never prayed regularly, try this for one week. Each day takes about five minutes.

  • Day 1: Pray the Lord’s Prayer slowly, word for word, then add one sentence of your own.
  • Day 2: Adoration. Read Psalm 103:1-5 and thank God for each thing it lists.
  • Day 3: Confession. Ask God to show you one thing to put right, and then accept his forgiveness.
  • Day 4: Thanksgiving. Write down five specific things from the last 24 hours and thank God for each.
  • Day 5: Supplication. Pray for three people by name, and one thing you need.
  • Day 6: Pray a psalm. Read Psalm 23 and pray it line by line.
  • Day 7: Silence. Sit for five minutes, then say whatever comes to mind.

Prayer also grows when it is shared. You can pray with a friend, a small group or a church, in person or online with others. Versiah has live Fellowship rooms for praying together, where you can speak or just listen, and it can show you what the Bible says about prayer with the exact verses to read.

Questions people ask

How do I start praying as a beginner?

Talk to God in your own words about what is on your mind, even for a minute or two. If you need structure, pray through the Lord’s Prayer line by line or use the ACTS method: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.

What should I say when I pray?

Say what is true: what you are thankful for, what you are sorry for, what you are worried about and what you need. There are no required words. If you are stuck, praying a psalm or the Lord’s Prayer gives you language to start with.

How long should I pray?

There is no set length in the Bible. Jesus warned against piling up empty words, as if length is what makes prayer work (Matthew 6:7). Starting with five minutes a day and adding short prayers throughout the day is a good, sustainable habit.

Do I have to pray out loud?

No. God hears silent prayers as well as spoken ones. Some people find praying aloud or writing prayers down helps them stay focused, so try different ways and see what helps.

What is the ACTS method of prayer?

ACTS is a simple outline for prayer: Adoration (praising God for who he is), Confession (admitting what you have done wrong), Thanksgiving (thanking him for specific things) and Supplication (asking for your needs and the needs of others).

Is there a right way to pray?

The Bible cares more about honesty and trust than about technique. Jesus gave the Lord’s Prayer as a model, and the Psalms show every kind of prayer, from joy to lament. Praying sincerely and regularly matters more than finding the perfect method.

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