What do you do when you don’t feel like praying?

I doubt that any follow of Jesus wouldn’t acknowledge the importance of prayer in our daily lives. As followers of Jesus we are commanded to pray. Throughout the Bible there are innumerable people who pray as an example for us to follow, including Jesus Himself.

In all honesty though, prayer is not something that “just happens.” Prayer takes work; hard work. The question we’ve all faced at some point is how do we pray when we don’t feel like praying? Here is a short/simple process (based on Matthew 6:9-13) that I recommend you trying the next time you’re tempted not to pray:

1. Make God the center of your prayer by adoring His greatness (Matt. 6:9)

Read: Isaiah 40:12-15; 21-25; 28-31

Sing (or read):
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Personal Response: Adore God and His greatness in your own words.


2. Make God the center of your prayer by submitting to Him and His purposes (Matt. 6:10)

Read: Psalm 115:3; 135:5-7

Sing (or read):
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Personal Response: Pray a prayer submitting yourself, your desires, your thoughts, your actions to God and His will for you.


3. Make God the center of your prayer by acknowledging He is the source of all things. (Matt. 6:11-13)

Read: Matthew 6:19-34

Sing (or read):
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Personal Response: Thank God for His continued love and provision through Christ. Ask Him to meet your needs according to His power in Christ. (Phil. 4:19; 1 John 5:14)


Martyn Lloyd-Jones - “Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul. Man is at his greatest and highest when upon his knees he comes face to face with God”