Daily devotional on prayer

A Bible-centered reflection

Matthew 6:5–13 addresses prayer as Jesus teaches his listeners. Read the instructions beside the prayer itself. Notice the concern about performance and the place given to daily needs. If you have been comparing your hesitant words with another person's confidence, take time with the passage before deciding how your own prayer ought to sound.

The prayer Jesus teaches includes other people. As you ask about your needs, remember someone whose circumstances you have overlooked, perhaps a person in the next room or someone you meant to contact. Take time to think about what they need.

Romans 8:26–27 recognizes weakness in prayer within Paul's discussion of suffering and hope. Read the surrounding paragraph. You may be struggling to explain what is happening or to finish a sentence about it. You can acknowledge that difficulty and pause. Return to the words of the passage as you ask God for help.

In Luke 11:1–13, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Think about the part of prayer you want to learn. You might find it difficult to ask forgiveness or to express thanks clearly. Begin there today, and leave time to read what Jesus says in response to the disciples' request.

A prayer may remain unanswered in the way you hoped. Bring the disappointment into the next prayer. You can ask for wisdom and speak with someone who can support you through the situation. Scripture has room for lament. Take care with a person who is waiting for an answer; their difficulty deserves attention without a judgment about the strength of their faith.

Consider what you could do about the concern you have named. If you are praying about a strained relationship, you may need to acknowledge something you said. Concern about a neighbor may lead you to ask what help would be useful. Choose the action that actually belongs to the situation, and keep praying about the part you cannot resolve.

Keep a request with its passage reference and revisit it at your next reading. What has changed? You may have an answer to give thanks for or a question that needs another prayer. Your notes can help you follow how your understanding develops.

A prayer

God, I bring you the concern I can name and the part I struggle to explain. Help me pray in words I can mean. Teach me to ask for daily help and seek forgiveness where I have caused hurt. I want to remember the people whose needs I have overlooked. Help me listen to them and offer care I can actually give. Where I am disappointed, receive the question I still carry. Give me patience to return to you and wisdom for the action I need to take. Thank you for the help I receive through other people. Amen.

Continue this reading habit

Choose a moment such as breakfast or the end of the day to revisit a passage and a request. Devotionals has morning and evening readings for that routine. You can keep a request with a devotional reading in its note, using the subscription notes tools, or write it in a notebook. Look at it again when you return to the passage. Leave room for the concern that still needs your attention. Devotionals is available for iPhone and iPad on the App Store or Android on Google Play.

The app opens on Today, where you can choose a morning or evening reading. This website reflection is separate from the app’s reading schedule.

Questions about this devotional

How do I begin praying when I do not know what to say?

Name a concern or ask for help. Read Romans 8:26–27 when you find words difficult, and leave a quiet pause if you need one.

Should every daily prayer follow the same pattern?

A pattern can help you begin. Read the prayer in Matthew 6 and consider how its requests fit the needs you want to bring to God today.

How can an app support prayer?

Devotionals has scheduled readings with Bible references. Notes on reading content can keep a request with its passage; editing those notes requires a subscription.

Related devotional readings

• faith
• peace
• gratitude