How to Develop a Habit of Daily Prayer

God calls us to pray privately and to pray together, and he calls us to set aside time to pray and to pray spontaneously (Matt. 6:6; Acts 2:42; 1 Thess. 5:16–18). When we pray privately, our prayers do not need to be overly-structured, as if we must always proceed in the same way. But most people need a little more structure for their private prayers, not less. With that in mind, I developed a framework to help you spend time alone with God—ideally, if your schedule allows, first thing in the morning.

Read on and print out this summary to keep with you in your Bible or to share with others. Again, you may find it helpful to have a journal to jot down your thoughts and prayers as you go. Or print out multiple copies of the document for yourself, if you choose to write on the actual page during a time of prayer.

I view the six categories below as waves of communication that will often overlap with one another. As a general pattern, it is wise to begin with Bible reading to reaffirm that God is the ultimate authority and initiator in the relationship and then to listen to him through his Word. And we conclude with considering what God is asking us to do—to respond in concrete acts of obedience. But, again, God will guide you along the way.

1. Bible Intake

If you are a new Christian with little knowledge of the Bible, you may want to focus on reading one chapter of the New Testament each day (beginning, perhaps, with the Gospel of Matthew and reading to the end of the Bible). But once we establish a basic habit of Bible reading, I encourage most Christians to follow a Bible reading plan that takes them to multiple chapters in the Bible each day. With a reading plan in place, we do not need to consider what to read when we get alone with God; we simply follow the plan. Ideally, our plan will take us through the entire Bible in a year (or in two years at the most). As you read, ask yourself:

What does this passage teach me about:

God the Father? Jesus Christ? the Holy Spirit? how the members of the Trinity relate to one another?
myself and others (particularly regarding sin)?
how I relate to God the Father through Jesus Christ?
how I relate to Jesus himself?
how I live by the Holy Spirit?
other?

2. My Immediate Response to God’s Word

When God speaks to us through his Word, we will have immediate, internal reactions, such as conviction about specific sins in our lives. More specifically, he reminds us that he is God (the Creator, Provider, Ruler, etc.) and we are mere creatures. He is morally perfect, and we fall short of his perfect standards in every area of our lives. Therefore, reading God’s Word almost always leads us to turn from our sins and to express faith in Jesus Christ. Repentance is not the only immediate response to his Word, but it is one of the most important. If we do not realign our lives to him and to his will, then I am not sure how we can appropriately talk to him about anything else. As you respond to God’s Word, ask yourself:

What will I say to God about . . .

my sins (leading to repentance)?
my anxieties?
my sadness?
my anger?
my shame?
my confusion?
my positive emotions (such as joy and enthusiasm)?
other?

3. Desires for Myself

Every prayer expresses a desire to God (whether in the previous category, this category, or otherwise). But here I encourage you to express your desires to grow in your character development and to align yourself with God’s purposes for your life. As you consider your desires for yourself, ask:

What do I desire regarding . . .

my character development (such as faith, hope, love, and holiness)?
my relationships and service within my family?
my relationships and service within my local church?
my service in the wider world?
my primary activity during the day (e.g. studying as a student, being a stay-at-home parent, and/or working)?
my financial giving, saving, and spending?
helping specific non-Christians to know God?
helping specific Christians to know God better?
other?

It is not realistic to pray about each of these areas on a daily basis, but God will lead you where to focus your attention.

4. Desires for Others

God will spontaneously bring people to your mind for whom you can pray. But I encourage you to develop lists of people for whom you want to pray on regular basis. For example, I want to pray for these people on a daily basis: my immediate and extended family, the members of my home group, and the elders and deacons at our church. I pray for others less regularly, but I still want them on my list. Ask yourself:

For whom will I pray?
What are my desires for them?*

* Many of which will be the same as your desires for yourself (see #3 above).

5. Internal Experiences of My Affection

There is obviously no need to wait until this point to respond to God in praise and thanksgiving! But I find this pattern often plays itself out in our lives: God speaks to us through his Word, we turn from our sins, and we express our desires to him (for ourselves and others). Then, the more and more we experience God in these moments, the more our hearts and minds will focus on God himself—on the Giver, not simply on his gifts. Whether you choose to pray silently, to speak, to write, or to sing to him (perhaps accompanied by worship music), ask yourself:

What do I want to say to God about . . .

my love?
my worship?
my desire?
my joy?
my gratitude?
other?

6. External Expressions of My Affection

Make it a habit to pause at the end of your time alone with God to ask him if there is anything he wants you to say or to do in response to your time alone with him. For example, perhaps God convicts you of a lack of kindness to a coworker or to a family member. Whether you read about it explicitly in his Word (Eph. 4:32) or he spontaneously brought it to your mind, you know what you need to do. Ask yourself:

By his strength, what does God want me . . .

to stop doing?
to start doing?
to change how I do it?
to keep doing (to persevere in his will)?

Is there anyone . . .

for whom I need to pray?
to whom I need to apologize?
I need to serve?
I need to instruct, encourage, or challenge?

Other?

Then go do it, in the strength and joy that God provides.

For Reflection and Discussion

I began this article by saying, “God calls us to pray privately and to pray together, and he calls us to set aside time to pray and to pray spontaneously.” With that in mind, in what ways can you make prayer a more consistent part of your life (both privately and with others)?
As a general rule, why is it wise to begin your times of prayer with reading God’s Word?
Evaluate your prayer life in light of the six categories listed above. Which aspects of prayer do you already utilize? Which aspects of prayer would you like to incorporate within your prayer life to a greater extent?