James 5:16 tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians to pray continually. With those two truths in mind, you may be wondering how you could purposefully add intentional prayer into your daily life. This is something that I also work for. So, I have compiled a list of ideas. Surely you can think of more times than the ones I listed! I hope this list sparks other ideas to come to your mind.
- Before Breakfast – Start your day with prayer. Consider it the first and most important thing you do all day.
- As you leave the house – Before heading out into the world, it’s not a bad idea to preemptively call out to God BEFORE the road-rage starts. Pray for His Spirit to give you strength to stand up to temptation. Pray for protection and safety.
- When you arrive at work – Simply pause to ask God for His help with a good attitude and a productive day. Pray that you will represent Christ well at work by living according to His principles.
- When you begin a meeting – We always need His wisdom, especially when dealing with other people and doing the work He gifted us to do. Pray the Lord will guard your tongue.
- When you conclude a meeting – We should give Him credit, for every good and perfect gift comes from Him. If the meeting didn’t go so well, pray for His guidance in next steps.
- Before Lunch – Pausing to thank the Lord for your food is a great reminder that He is the Great Provider. Any good thing you have is a gift from Him.
- As you leave work – For many of you, this is the time for the Hallelujah Chorus to break out! Pray for your co-workers who might be heading into difficulties at home.
- When you arrive at home – If you have family at home, pray that you will have the energy to purposefully engage with them in fun, laughter, chores, and meaningful conversations. If you don’t have family at home, pray that God will use you to be on mission in your neighborhood or with other people in your life.
- Before Dinner – If eating dinner with your family, bring them in on this prayer, especially if you haven’t prayed with them yet today. If you’re eating alone, spend some time decompressing from your day by talking through it with your Heavenly Father.
- Before Bed – Hey, we started the day with God, so why not finish it with Him too. Pray for rest. Thank Him for His provision. Consider all the good things He has done today. Drift off to sleep remembering His promises, His goodness, and His grace.
