6 Ways to Pray More in a Busy World

Prayer is a central way for you to grow in your faith. But in the 21st century, every day feels like a blur from one thing to the next. You know it’s important to pray every day, but you’re struggling to find a decent moment to pray. Have no fear! Here are 6 simple ways to pray more today – no matter how busy your day gets.

1. During a Commute

Everyone – at some point – leaves home for something, be it work, school, shopping, or other errands. This is the perfect opportunity to take a few minutes to pray. And, it doesn’t even matter how you commute: cars, trains, walking, taxi, or bike are all great. And, if you’ve got kids, get them involved in this routine: a quick prayer every time they get in the car.

My commute consists of walking and a train ride. Along my walk is a nice, quiet pathway that stretches about a tenth of a mile. I call this (in my head at least) my “Prayer Path”, because it’s here that I say at least two prayers a day: once during the morning commute and again on the way back. 

If you’re driving, just make sure not to pray with your eyes closed!

2. Before Every Meal

If you’ve got food in front of you, make sure to first show your thanks for God for your blessings, because not everyone gets the chance to eat every day. Many people, myself included, may remember to pray before dinner, but forget about giving thanks before breakfast and lunch. Don’t make it harder or longer than it has to be: a quick acknowledgment to God for your gratefulness is sufficient.

The best part is, if you stick to praying before every meal, you’ve just found three times to incorporate prayer into your daily life.

3. Schedule It!

No matter how busy your life is, if you can’t dedicate ONE moment of just a few minutes to converse with the God of the universe, then your life is too busy.

Schedule just five minutes into your daily routine to shut the door, close your eyes, and talk to God.

4. The Sign of the Cross

Want to know the quickest and easiest prayer around? The sign of the cross! In one simple act, this sign acknowledges the truth of the trinity: God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You can think of this as thanking the Lord for his fatherly role in our formation, his saving power through Jesus Christ, and his guidance through the Holy Spirit.

Plus, it’s a great way to naturally witness to those around you through prayer.

5. During a Chore

We’ve all got chores around the house that don’t do themselves. So, while doing your daily chores or other household tasks (washing dishes, taking out the trash, fixing a faucet, etc.), say a prayer.

Not only will you find the time flies a little faster (don’t we all just want to hit “fast-forward” on those chore times), but you’ll grow in your relationship with the Lord through giving Him your attention. 

6. Before Bed

Last, but not least, we all need to recharge after a long day. I have no doubts all of you can spare just one minute to say a final prayer before drifting off to sleep. Maybe all it consists of is a thank you for the day, a prayer for safekeeping through the night, or a prayer for help the next day (if, for instance, the next day has some important event, like a job interview).

Bed time is also typically when the whole family is under one roof, so use this time to pray together. The prayer we say with our near-three year old daughter is the following:

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this night be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.

After just a couple weeks of praying this with her, she even memorized the words! Getting prayer into your daily life can be a great teaching exercise every day.

Final Thoughts

Just as we need to talk to other people to develop friendships, prayer is necessary to develop your relationship to the Lord – don’t waste it! Implementing just a few of these prayer ideas can transform your Christian life no matter how busy your day is. 

Keep praying!

“Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.” – John Bunyan