Routine Prayer
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” — Colossians 4:2
The importance of routine prayer is often overlooked. Not only can we use it to build a strong, reliable relationship with God, but it can also help us develop stable routines and discipline.
I’m sure we’ve all taken part in spontaneous prayer. When something happens, a bad situation or looming trouble, we turn ourselves to God to ask for support and guidance. These prayers can occur at any time, place, and in any manner—and are of course incredibly important in fulfilling our desires to be heard and understood by the Lord.
But further than praying when we desire something specific, building a routine of prayer and praise into your daily or weekly activities can go a long way. As our relationships with God grow, and we learn to walk in His footsteps and spread His love to those around us, the regular practice of prayer helps us stay connected to His message and away from worldly distractions.
Not only does routine prayer help us build a foundation of understanding with the Lord, but it also encourages us to think about and discuss our own behavior. When we reflect on ourselves, and realize any wrongdoings, or areas of improvement—those daily sessions of prayer ask us to turn to God for advice and assistance, so that we can become stronger in our faith.
Incorporating prayer into a morning or evening routine also means we have a system to return to, making sure we have guidance and support throughout every day.
Finding a time and place for prayer on a regular, if not daily basis, builds up our discipline. When we do the same thing over and over, even if we don’t feel like it, we push ourselves towards a better version of who we are.
Although we are divinely created, we know for sure that we humans have flaws. But making the effort to move away from harmful, sinful practices, instead focusing on what is good and pure, helps us build ourselves into better Christians.
Discipline from building a consistent prayer routine leaks into other areas of our lives too. Whether we just find ourselves with more energy to do things like work out or eat healthy, after that motivational push in the right direction, or we ask for God’s guidance to achieve our goals- prayer helps us build our lives on a solid foundation, making room for more great things to come.
So how exactly does one develop a prayer routine, or even start making it a regular practice?
The first step is to find your perfect spot for communicating with God. Try to find somewhere relatively peaceful- if you have a garden or nearby park, being in nature can help us connect to the Lord through His beautiful creations.
Next, you have to find the right time to pray. It doesn’t have to be, say, 8:15 am on the dot every day. Just a general time when you find your head is clear, you’re open to guidance, and you want to speak to God. Incorporating your prayer into a morning or evening routine works well- you can pray just before bed, to ask the Lord to bless the next day, or while you’re brewing your morning coffee for that start-of-day strength and comfort. While you don’t have to pray about the same things every day, it helps to have some kind of structure or idea beforehand. Of course, you can just go in and say what’s on your mind. But things like gratitude, praise, and requests for support in tough times are relatively universal and help us make it through rough or uncertain patches.
Try to commit to praying at least once daily for a week, even if only for 5 days, and see the results. You can use a habit tracker app or keep a note in a physical journal- you can even record how you feel before and after prayer, and any realizations you might have come to when talking to God.
You should find that you have more clarity, more peace in your direction, and confidence in your decisions. With God’s guidance, navigating the day can be a lot less overwhelming- we feel safe knowing He sees us and is looking out for us.
I encourage you to create your own prayer routine, and practice prayer both regularly and spontaneously. As you do, you’ll become more stable, grounded in God’s word, and grow into the person you aim to become.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray today that you will guide me in knowing when I should come to you. Direct me in creating a regular habit of prayer that cultivates our relationship and leads me toward your light. Help me develop discipline, strength, and courage to become the person you destined me to be. Thank you for the blessings you have given me, and I swear to uphold and honour your name and words to the best of my ability.
Amen.