How To Pray Daily

As we start our day, we perform certain routines that are essential for us. We just don’t feel right if we start our day without them. A person usually begins his or her day by eating breakfast. Some jog or exercise, while some people listen to music. Regardless of whatever we do, there is one thing we should never start our day without, and that is prayer.

Father in heaven, as I start my day with my usual routine, help me fight for my prayer time with You more than anything else in my morning routine. Remind me of the importance of prayer and to never start my day without it. Thank You because I can pray and have access to Your throne of grace due to what Christ has done for me on the cross. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Why do we have to pray daily?

We pray daily because praying is having a conversation with God. In our day-to-day lives, we talk with the people we live with or at least have a relationship with. For example, a husband who lives with his wife will surely talk. It is very unusual to look at each other and pass by silently without saying anything. The point is that we cannot help but talk to people in our everyday lives. If we cannot help but talk to others in our daily lives, it should be the same, and even more so, with God.

Another reason we pray to God is that we depend on Him. In 2 Corinthians 3:5, the apostle Paul writes that we are only ministers of the new covenant because of God, Who is sufficient.

That truth points out the self-sufficiency of God. We cannot do anything on our own. We can only do something as we depend on our Almighty God, who is self-sufficient, self-existent, and the source of everything. He is the well from which we draw our strength, sufficiency, abilities, wisdom, etc. If God is the source we depend on, we should pray to Him.

The life of Jesus Himself shows this even further. Jesus, who was not only 100% God but also 100% man, experienced the weakness of being human that was the result of the fall in Genesis 3. The prayer in Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36-56 is a good example. Jesus, in His humanity, was sorrowful and dependent on the Father. In verse 41, He said that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, which pertains to His humanity. The point here is that in the same way, we who are fully human ought to pray the same as Christ. If Christ in His humanity prayed and depended on the Father, then we also ought to do the same. The passage above also tells us that Christ is indeed our High Priest, as written in Hebrews 4:14-16, Who understands our weakness because He Himself was clothed in flesh and blood and experienced the consequences of the fall.

Another reason why we ought to pray daily is that God commanded us to pray. In Matthew 6:5-14, specifically in verse 5, when Jesus was teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus didn’t use the phrase “if you pray” but “when you pray.” It shows that we are expected to pray. The Bible is also filled with many verses that indicate commands for us to pray, such as giving thanks to God in prayer, asking God in prayer for the grace and mercy we need, lifting our prayer requests to Him, etc.

Also, we pray to God because we are in a relationship with God. While indeed we are commanded by God to pray, we ought to pray to Him out of delight and not out of obligation. While praying is something that He indeed commanded, we shouldn’t see it as a burden. Just as in 1 John 5:3—because we love God, His commandments are not burdensome.

We pray to God because He is our Heavenly Father in Christ. In Romans 8:15, it is written that we have received adoption as His children in Christ. Because God is our Father, we ought to spend time with Him in prayer.

Lastly, we pray to God because He is holy. Holiness is not just about being sinless. When we say God is holy, that means He is the highest category and distinction thereof. That is why in 1 Samuel 2:2, it is written that there is none like God. 

God is the highest being and, therefore, the highest reason we should pray. When we pray to God, knowing that He is holy, we pray out of worship and not out of obligation.

What can we pray daily?

As you pray to God daily, you can pray for your daily matters, whether in the morning or evening. Surely there are matters during the day that you can pray to God about. It may be that you will be having an exam that day, anticipate traveling somewhere, or, as usual, are going to work. Regardless of what they are, you can pray to God about your everyday matters in life.

However, just because you pray to God every day does not mean you can only pray for matters of that day. Even when it comes to matters of the past, you can pray for those too. You can thank God for something wonderful that happened last week, pray for comfort for a painful event last month, and many more.

Of course, you can also pray for future matters. You can pray for the things you are looking forward to the next week, a particular challenge you have been going through, or maybe the strength to persevere for the next few days. Whether past, present, or future, you can pray and entrust anything to God in prayer.

You don’t just pray for things concerning your life, but you also ought to pray about the things of God. For example, He commanded us to live holy lives, and therefore praying to God for the help and grace you need to live in godliness and holiness is something you can pray for. It could also be praying for the nations and for the Gospel to proliferate. It may be praying for the fruit of the Spirit to be more evident in your life. In other words, we also ought to pray for things that are eternal in value.

How do we pray daily?

We pray daily by just simply talking to God. Remember that prayer is a conversation. Just like any conversation, it is not just about asking someone about something. Sometimes we compliment a person, sometimes, we honor them, and sometimes we open up to them. It is the same with God. Prayer is not just about asking God for things. It is also about pouring our hearts out to Him (being honest with Him), giving Him thanks, and worshipping and glorifying Him. Psalm 63 was a good example of this when King David was being honest with God as he told Him that his soul thirsted for Him. In fact, there are even Psalms in which David would ask where God is, not that God was ever absent. There were also times when King David would just ascribe glory to God because He deserved it.

While prayer is a conversation with God, it is also important to note that He is still God despite being our Heavenly Father. Therefore, we still pray and treat Him with respect and reverence. It would also be good to check out what Christ has taught us about prayer since it is a pattern that we can follow when praying. You can check out our article, “How to Pray the Lord’s Prayer.”

On the practical side, you can pray daily by setting up a schedule for which you would pray and have your devotion to God. As you schedule it, fight for that schedule by all means. Of course, just because a time may be outside your schedule does not mean you cannot pray to God then. Even if you are on a bus on your way to work, you can still pray. The point here is that the key to having a consistent daily prayer life is setting a time for it and having the discipline to do it.

Last, find a place where you won’t be distracted. Take the example of Jesus in Luke 5:16, where He withdraws to desolate places to pray. Make sure to find a place where no one and nothing can disturb you; where you can solely focus on God.

Heavenly Father, I thank You because praying is a privilege that You have given us by grace through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me fight for the prayer time that I have allotted, and always put You above any other thing in my life. Help me always value my prayer time with You when I can pour my heart out to You, worship You, and grow more in intimacy with You and zeal for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

In Acts 6:4, it is written that the apostles did not minister only through preaching the Word but also through prayer. As well we not only get to know more about God and become zealous for Him through the ministry of the Word, but we also acquire this through prayer. The giants of faith that we know throughout Christian history were not only people of the Word but also people of prayer. That is how powerful prayers are.