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“Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
I want to pray more. Right now, the amount of time I spend in prayer is . . . meh. I pray before going to bed, after waking up, and at meals. I use a prayer book to give direction and variety to my prayers. I pray for myself, my family and friends, and the people of my church and community.
All told, I pray about five minutes each day. A Christian research group found that the average pastor spends five minutes a day in prayer. My prayer life is decidedly average. If we’re giving grades, call it a C-.
Why pray more
How much do you pray? And before you answer, it’s worth noting that the average Christian spends one minute a day in prayer. Do a quick tally of your prayer time. Is it like mine: a C- prayer life?
It’s a little embarrassing, isn’t it? Prayer is our direct line to God, yet we tend to use prayer like a fire extinguisher—only in emergencies.
God knows our struggle, so he gives some simple encouragement: “Pray continually.” God wants us to pray a lot. He wants prayer to be a frequent part of our lives, to be as natural as breathing or blinking. He wants us to pray without ceasing.
So pray more because God hears you (1 John 5:14). Pray more because your prayers are powerful (James 5:16). Pray more because God wants to hear from you (1 Peter 5:7). Pray more because others need your prayers (1 Timothy 2:1). Pray more because prayer doesn’t just change things—it changes you.
How to pray more
We know we should pray more. So why don’t we? My hunch is that most of us use excuses like these: I’m too busy. I just forget. I don’t know how to pray. If you’ve used these excuses, here are some gentle suggestions to help you pray more.
If you think you’re too busy to pray, make prayer a priority. Martin Luther once said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” The most important part of that quote isn’t “three hours”; it’s “first.” Luther made prayer a priority, and he scheduled it first thing in the morning. Be like Luther. Prioritize prayer, and schedule some time for talking to God.
Pray more because prayer doesn’t just change things—it changes you.
If you often forget to pray, try habit stacking. The idea is to pair prayer with something you already do every day. “When I ____, I will pray.” When I brush my teeth, I will pray. When I drive to work, I will pray. When I wash my hands, I will pray. When I open the fridge, I will pray (my prayer time might skyrocket with that one!).
If you think you don’t know how to pray, remember that there isn’t one right way to pray. God just wants to hear from you. He doesn’t need your prayers to be as long as the Prayer of the Church or as eloquent as the Prayer of the Day. Think of prayer like the Nike slogan: “Just Do It.” Just talk to God. Share what’s on your heart. Even if your prayers feel awkward or uncomfortable, even if you’re fumbling for words, God hears them. He answers them. And he loves them.
So pray, dear Christian. And then . . . pray some more!
PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, help me pray more. Amen.
Author: Evan Chartrand
Volume 113, Number 08
Issue: August 2026
Photo: iStock
