Many people want to know how to pray to God, but they are not sure how. They want to talk to God, ask for his help, but they are not always confident that their message will get through.

It’s kind of like this.

Imagine you give someone a smartphone in the 1970s and tell them to call a family member. They understand some about how to communicate through a rotary phone, but they will likely be unable to place the call on such advanced technology and communicate.

For some, trying to pray to God feels like that. It can feel mysterious and daunting.

The purpose of this article is to help give you some prayer 101, some simple and helpful advice, to be able to talk to God and have confidence that he hears you.

The power of prayer

So, why should you pray in the first place?

Prayer is a timeless way people have used to connect with God and find hope.

It’s also an outlet that many cancer patients use to find hope. A recent survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that 69% of cancer survivors pray regularly about their health.

Indeed, prayer is a powerful means for finding hope, lest we forget!

Questions about prayer

At Hope Has Arrived, we believe prayer is critical for finding hope against cancer (as well as other struggles), and it’s one of the four specific ways we help people (see Find Hope Now).

Over the years, we have received many emails and comments on social media from people asking, “How do I pray to God? How do I know I’m doing it right? How do I know that God hears me?”

These questions are understandable, as today, many people don’t have a religious background.

This article is a response to those questions.

What is prayer?

Almost all religions use some form of prayer. However, what exactly is it?

To put it simply, prayer is talking to God. It is meant to be personal communication, a conversation, with God, our Creator.

There are many formal ways to pray, but getting started with prayer doesn’t mean you have to overcomplicate it. Your prayer could be as simple as, “God, please help me,” or, “God, please reveal yourself to me,” and God will hear you.

Praying to God is not about the words you use, but more the attitude of your heart—coming to God with humility and seeking to connect with him.

How do you pray to God?

Prayer is meant to be a conversation. The best prayers often happen in private, in a quiet and secluded place, but you can pray literally anywhere: in a coffee shop, a crowded subway, or on top of a mountain.

You can pray silently, or out loud. You can also journal or write down some of your prayers.

The best prayer is where you talk to God but also take time to listen as well.

How do I do it right?

“Prayer is not complicated, there’s no pat formula or religious words that you must say,” says the popular article on Hope Has Arrived called “Asking God for Help.”

The key is doing that which helps bring your heart to a place of humility and honest seeking of God.

Sometime people wonder if they should kneel when they pray. The short answer: it’s a personal preference.

It is not necessary to bow and kneel when you pray, but some choose to do so because it displays an outward sign of humility.

Inspiration for prayer

When talking about prayer, one of the best sources about how to pray to God is the Bible.

One passage that is especially helpful about how to pray to God is called “The Lord’s Prayer,” in Matthew 6, where Jesus gives specific advice about how to pray.

Context of the Lord’s Prayer

Before we hop into the Lord’s Prayer, it’s helpful to see the context. Jesus doesn’t just tell us how to pray, first he tells us how NOT to pray:

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:5-8).”

Jesus makes it clear what prayer is NOT supposed to be:

• Showy
• Used to impress others
• Full of empty words

Instead, he clarified what prayer is supposed to be: a private and honest way to connect with God.

Jesus also underscores that prayer is about coming to God with a heart of humility and honesty. In the book of Hebrews, the author says, “God rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6).”

To be earnest is to be sincere. What is driving you to want to seek God and pray to him? Be honest about what you need as you pray to God with sincerity and boldness.

The Lord’s Prayer 

Now let’s look specifically at what “The Lord’s Prayer” says:

(Jesus speaking)

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:9-13).’”

6 Components of the Lord’s prayer

With these words, Jesus shares six categories of what we should pray about (though some may see more): Praise, worship, submission, requests, forgiveness and temptation.

Of course, one of the biggest motivations to pray is because we need God’s help. We should not feel bad about bringing our requests to God, as he stands ready to help us.

Jesus himself said that in this world we would face all kinds of trouble that would bring us to the end of ourselves. God knows that we would need help, and he stands ready to hear our prayers, help us and give us the gift of peace.

Here’s a closer look at each of the six categories:

Praise.

“Our Father in heaven…” To call God Father, is quite a statement. A good father loves his children and wants the best for them. Coming to God as Father is a great place to start, believing that he wants to help you and that he loves you and cares for you.

Worship.

“Hallowed by your name.” To hallow something means to bring it great honor and respect. Coming to God in worship means we praise and honor him above all things and even praise his name.

Submission.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done.” Jesus says we should pray for God’s will to be done. Because God is a king, it’s fitting to pray for the fulfillment of his will, and it’s important that our requests are in line with his desires. That doesn’t mean that we can’t ask for things, but a true worshipper will want what God wants even above our own desires. As the late pastor Tim Keller said, “The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God’s will into mine but to mold my will into his.”

Requests.

“Give us today our daily bread.” This is the part where we can boldly ask God for whatever we need. Specifically, Jesus says for us to ask for “our daily bread,” which means food, but can also refer to the many other needs we have, including physical, financial or relational. Of all the categories, need is the one that motivates people to pray the most, and for good reason. Let us boldly come before God asking for whatever we need, for he can provide it.

Forgiveness.

Jesus prays, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Forgiving others and being forgiven is a critical part of prayer. God is a god of forgiveness, as he forgives us our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus, which reconciles to God, but he also wants us to be reconciled with others. Much could be written about this topic, but as you pray, is there anyone who comes to mind that you need to forgive?

Temptation.

“Lead us not into temptation.” God knows that we face temptations that play upon our weaknesses. This part of the prayer is a request for God to help us overcome our weaknesses and to be spared from evil.

Simplifying your prayers

The Lord’s Prayer offers some of the clearest instructions about prayer. To simply your prayers even further, you can just use these three categories: praise, thanks and ask, which the Lord’s Prayer certainly contains.

Praise.

What about God’s nature, or something you see in Creation brings you to worship and awe of who he is? Tell God about it.

Thanks.

What are some things in your life that you are grateful to God for? Tell him.

Ask.

Know that it is ok to bring your requests to God and ask for his help. How do you need God to help you right now? Tell him.

Getting started with prayer

When you start praying, remember, it’s not about saying the right words, but more the attitude of your heart.

As you seek God through prayer with a sincere heart, you can trust that he will hear you and help you. Why not say a prayer right now?

You could pray something like this to get started:

“Dear God, I am in awe of the world you have created (share something specific). Thank you for the ways you have blessed my life (share a few). Please teach me about prayer. Help me to believe you exist, and to experience what it is like to know you. Please show me your love and give me confidence that you will help me with my struggles. Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer, this is a great first step with how to pray to God. Good things are coming your way.

May God hear your prayers and bless you as you continue to seek him.

 

For more help with how to pray, read Asking God for Help.