7 Ways to Begin Praying When You’re at a Loss for Words

It’s always good to read your Bible, if possible, before you pray. Even just one Scripture can get you started praying. In Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, I share how I learned to pray God’s will by praying His Word back to Him. Praying Scripture is simply finding and personalizing a Scripture passage that speaks to you. You’re praying!

Praying using God’s Words and promises keeps us in line with His will and can be the catalyst for us to continue praying in our own words.

So, in your daily Bible reading, try picking a verse that speaks to your current situation and paraphrase or personalize it with names and personal pronouns. Here’s an example of praying in Scripture.

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1

Now Isaiah 25:1 NLT personalized:

Lord, thank You and praise You for being my [your name’s] God. I will give You all the glory and praise today for what You have done and will do in my life. I exalt Your precious name. I'm so blessed that in Your faithfulness to me, You’ve had plans for me since long ago. Lord, help me live according to Your purpose for my life today. Amen.

Wasn’t that easy? It’s simple yet so profound. It will enrich and enhance your prayer life. I promise.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

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Praise music can get your mind into a prayerful mood. Most lyrics in Christian music and hymns are worshipful and full of praise, so singing along with the words can start your own prayer words flowing. Once, when I was going through a health issue, a song came on the radio as we were driving to the hospital, and my husband commented that he was sure I could relate to the words, “Even when You don’t move the mountains.” It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about this now, remembering how I began to pray for the upcoming procedure and letting God know that even though He hadn’t moved my mountain, I would still trust Him for the outcome.

Singing in church is considered worship. We’ve all had the experience of the words of a worship song, or even the instrumentals, touching our hearts. We might begin softly to praise God as we feel His presence, and maybe tears may even flow. We don’t have to be in church to have that same worship time with the Lord. Sit quietly with the Lord, play praise music in the background, and let the Holy Spirit bring the words of prayer to your mind and heart.

David sang a prayer after listening to music:

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1

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Sometimes, it helps to write down prayer requests or praises in a notebook or journal. Before praying, read over the list and use what you’ve written as a starting point for prayer. Or begin by saying your list aloud and elaborate on it in prayer. Most prayers are requests for God to do something or praises for what He’s already done.

Take a notebook or journal, put a vertical line down each page, and head one “Prayer” and the other “Praise.” Date and document your prayer requests. Once a week, review your prayer requests, and in the praise column, note when and how God answered your requests. Be sure to include a “Thank you, Lord!”

Ask friends and family how to pray for them and include their requests and praises in your prayer journal. This reminds you to pray for them, and often, it’s easier to pray for others than for yourself. Be sure to let them know you’re praying and ask for updates. Also, date their requests and note how and when the Lord answered in the praise column.

You’ll be amazed at how consistently God intercedes in your life. Prayer isn’t to remind God about your problems but to remind you to ask Him for help and guidance. Praise reminds you to thank God for His abundant goodness!

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. Psalm 40:5

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Prayer is simply a conversation with God like the ones we would have with anyone else. Of course, we can’t see Him physically, which may cause some to have trouble focusing as they feel like they’re speaking into the air. Placing another chair next to you when you’re praying and visualizing God sitting in that chair can set the stage for a two-way conversation. As in any conversation, we can’t do all the talking, so it’s important to have quiet moments where you listen and wait for God to answer.

God might answer by putting a thought in your mind or helping you see the answer to a problem you’ve been dealing with. A calm peace may come over you to replace the anxiety and worry you’ve been laying at God’s feet. It could be that you’re filled with joy or maybe tears as you confess sin for forgiveness or sense that God is telling you to wait for a response. Knowing that God is with you makes it easier to speak your prayers. People usually close their eyes in worship so they don’t become distracted, but you might want to keep your eyes open to look at the chair.

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b NLT

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There are times when we don’t know what to pray. No matter what we try, the words don’t come. We sit silently before God, trusting that He knows what we’re feeling but can’t articulate. Sometimes, we struggle between different options, and other times, we don’t know our options. We can’t formulate our deepest desires and emotions into words.

Don’t be discouraged or distraught when this happens. Jesus knew there would be those times, and we all experienced them. That’s why He told His disciples that He would leave them with the Holy Spirit, who would always be in them and with them.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17

As believers in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit knows our thoughts, problems, joys, issues, frustrations, and limitations. He knows just the right words we can’t formulate, so the Bible tells us to rest, knowing that the Holy Spirit will pray and intercede for us in these situations where all we can do is cry, groan, or be silent.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. Romans 8:25-27 NLT

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Praying isn’t about how many words you can say or how holy you sound. Prayer is simply speaking from your heart, whatever God puts there. Jesus spoke to this issue in the Lord’s Prayer because people often think they must sound a certain way or go public with their prayers. Jesus said to make prayer private, as were His prayers. Although there’s undoubtedly a place for corporate or group prayer, we’re told Jesus often went to a quiet, lonely place to pray (Luke 5:16).

Jesus instructed us to do the same: 

“But when you pray, go to your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father, who sees what you do in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

Then, He addresses the issue of words. What should you pray for? It doesn’t need to be flowery; remember, you’re not giving a speech. “When you pray, don’t pour out a flood of empty words, as the Gentiles do. They think that by saying many words, they’ll be heard. Don’t be like them because your Father knows what you need before you ask.” Matt. 6:7-8

Next, he said in Matt 6:9-13, “Pray like this: Our Father who is in heaven, uphold the holiness of your name. Please bring in your kingdom so that your will is done on earth as in heaven. Please give us the bread we need for today. Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you, just as we also forgive those who have wronged us. And don’t lead us into temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

Pray the Lord’s Prayer until you can fill in specifics, and you will soon find the words will flow.

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. Matthew 21:22

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I live in the mountains, and my favorite thing to do when the weather permits is walk and talk to God. Some people call this a prayer walk and pray for people in the homes or businesses they pass. Personally, I do not usually pray aloud. Still, I keep an ongoing conversation going in my mind with the Lord, thanking Him for the beauty surrounding me, the wildlife jumping in bushes, the beautiful blue sky, and the sunrise or sunset. It’s also a time to talk about whatever I’m writing with Him.

Getting out in the fresh air of God’s creation inspires a conversation with the Creator.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

I hope one of these seven ways will bless your prayer life. It’s time to pray!

“Prayer is the way you defeat the devil, reach the lost, restore a backslider, strengthen the saints, send missionaries out, cure the sick, accomplish the impossible, and know the will of God.” Dr. David Jeremiah

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