Finding it Hard to Pray? Just Talk. Just Say.

Take the pressure off performance.

Take the pressure off sounding spiritual.

Just talk. Just say.

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Luke 11:2 says:

“He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.”’”

So when you pray, say…

Talk like you know He’s there.

Because He is.

Don’t know what to say?

Talk about the fact that you’re finding it hard to pray. Tell Him you feel dry. Tell Him you feel distracted. Tell Him you don’t feel anything at all.

And then ask Him to help you pray.

Romans 8:26–27 says:

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”

Even when you don’t have language, He does.

Even when your heart feels unmoved, He is moving.

You may not be shouting.

You may not feel the fire.

You may not even feel like you’re praying.

But you can say something because Jesus said, “When you pray, say….”

Prayer is not always a feeling, sometimes it is simply a decision to speak.

Whisper it.

Write it.

Mutter it.

But say something.

Hey but don’t talk about everything else and forget to talk about the dryness you are feeling. Bring that too. Ask for help in the place of prayer. Ask Him to teach you to pray. Maybe there’s a new posture He wants to introduce you to, a deeper dependence, a quieter trust, a more surrendered listening.

When it comes to prayer, remain a student of the Holy Spirit.

Soon you will flow again.

Soon you will recognise His stirrings again.

But for now, just talk.

Just say.

“Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to the body.” J.C. Ryle