Inside: Do you feel stuck or overwhelmed in your prayer life? This list of 100 things to pray for will give you fresh, Biblical inspiration your personal prayer time.
We know we should pray. God told us to. Jesus did it. Enough said.
Knowing and doing, however, are two different things. If you're like me, you don't "not pray" because you think it's unimportant. More than likely you don't pray as much as you want to because:
- you can't find the time (or the quiet)
- you don't know where to start
While both may seem unavoidable in this stage of life, I promise you can find the time and the inspiration to have an intentional, concentrated, and Biblical prayer life.
This list of 100 things to pray for will help get you started.
100 Things to Pray for...
Things to pray for yourself
1. Discipline to be in the Word of God daily (Psalm 119:11)
2. To rid me of pride and a desire to control (Psalm 139:23-24)
3. To be slow to anger and quick to listen (James 1:19-20)
4. Know my worth is in Christ, not in anything I can do (Zephaniah 3:17)
5. Patience and gentleness (Colossians 3:12)
6. Comfort in the midst of hardship (Psalm 46:1-3)
7. Quiet moments to be in focused prayer (Mark 1:35)
8. Wisdom in how I use my time (Proverbs 31:27)
9. Confidence to do what God has called me to do (Deuteronomy 11:1)
10. Eyes to see the truth of who God is (Exodus 34:6-7)
11. An overflowing love for Jesus (John 14:21-23)
12. A better understanding of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17)
13. Intentional and purposeful about my use of media and technology (Ephesians 5:16)
14. The courage to say no and the confidence to say yes (James 5:12)
15. Peace and rest (Isaiah 26:3)
Things to pray for your husband
These prayer ideas come from The Power of A Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian. I highly recommend it. She tells real stories, backs it up with Scripture, and offers written prayers you can pray when you're not sure where to start. This book has changed how I pray for my husband, guiding me in praying daily, Biblical prayers for him.
16. His affections to be for God and His glory (Philippians 2:1-2)
17. His health (Jeremiah 33:6)
18. His friendships to be ones that honor Christ and point him to Jesus (Hebrews 10:24-25)
19. His finances (Philippians 4:19)
20. His confidence (2 Corinthians 3:18)
21. His future (Psalm 27:4)
22. His obedience (Jeremiah 7:23)
23. His faith (Matthew 17:20)
24. His work (Proverbs 23:4-5)
25. His protection (Psalm 23:4)
26. His attitude (Psalm 100:4)
27. His choices (Proverbs 21:16)
28. His mind (Romans 8:6)
29. His wife (Ephesians 4:32)
30.His emotions (Proverbs 28:26)
Things to pray for your kids
For more on some of these, grab this book and use it daily, weekly, or when you feel the Holy Spirit's prompting.
31. To know their value in Christ (1 Peter 2:9)
32. For friendships that are rich and life-giving (Psalm 1:1)
33. For confidence in who God created them to be (Deuteronomy 7:6)
34. For their health (Jeremiah 17:14)
35. A love for Jesus (John 14:21-23)
36. A hunger for His Word (Psalm 86:11-12)
37. Protection against the negative affects of technology (Isaiah 54:17)
38. Protection from images they are not meant to see (Psalm 119:37)
39. Protection from adults who mean them harm (Psalm 91:1-2)
40. For the ability to discern truth from lies (John 14:15-17)
41. For their spouse - future or present (Mark 10:6-9)
42. Freedom from the opinions of others (Ephesians 1:3-6)
43. Motivation to care for their mind and body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
44. A desire to learn and explore (Proverbs 1:5)
45. For words of encouragement and grace for their peers (Hebrews 10:24-25)
46. For freedom from fear (Isaiah 41:10)
Things to pray for your community
47. Peace and healing for the physically sick (name them) (Matthew 4:23-24)
48. Practical opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ (Mark 10:45)
49. A Christ-focused sense of unity within your local community (John 14:27)
50. Wisdom in seeing and helping those who are homeless (Proverbs 22:9)
51. Words to speak when neighbors walk by (Proverbs 16:24)
52. Spiritual healing (2 Chronicles 7:14-15)
53. Protection of the innocence of children (Psalm 36:7-8)
54. Local public schools - for God's blessing and protection (Luke 17:1-2)
55. Police officers and emergency service members (Psalm 27:13-14)
56. Local town/city government to be transformed by Christ (2 Chronicles 7:14)
57. Patience and compassion for those who serve the elderly (Galatians 6:9)
58. Humility of the younger generation to learn from the older (Proverbs 3)
59. For families struggling with addiction (Psalm 31)
60. For children in foster care (Psalm 146:9)
61. For families fostering children and their social workers (Psalm 73:26)
62. For children and families with special needs (Matthew 11:28-30)
Things to pray for the World
63. The eradication of human trafficking (Psalm 146:7)
64. Children without families (Psalm 146:9)
65. Justice (Proverbs 21:15)
66. Countries by name (you may not know much about them, but pray anyway) (Psalm 22:27-28)
67. Country leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
68. Peace (Hebrews 12:12-14)
69. Acknowledge God's Lordship over the world (Psalm 24:1-2)
70. God's Kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10)
71. Those who are not following Jesus (1 Timothy 2:1-7)
72. Poverty (Proverbs 29:7)
73. Broken families (Psalm 15-18)
74. Eyes to see the larger world outside my own (2 Peter 3:9)
75. A heart for the lost (Acts 26:18)
Things to pray for your local church
76. A unity that showcases the love of God (John 13:35)
77. Against distractions (Colossians 3:2)
78. Against false teachings (1 John 4:1)
79. For the Holy Spirit to guide leadership (John 14:26)
80. For your pastor's wife (Romans 15:13)
81. Rest and rejuvenation for leadership (Numbers 6:24-26)
82. That Christ, not the church, would be glorified (Revelation 19:11)
83. Faithful leadership (Luke 16:10)
84. That we would be worthy of the calling (2 Thessalonians 2:11)
85. A hunger for God's Word (1 Peter 2:1-3)
86. The older would faithfully disciple the younger (Titus 2:1-10)
87. Members would take the gospel to their work places (Philippians 1:27)
Things to pray for the world-wide Church
88. Wisdom and encouragement for pastors (1 Corinthians 15:58)
89. For those who are persecuted for their faith (Romans 8:18)
90. To stand united (Galatians 3:26-28)
91. To be a people of hope (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
92. For faithfulness to Scripture (2 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
93. That we would be centered on the Gospel (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
94. Wisdom in encountering culture (Ephesians 6:11)
95. Courage to proclaim the Gospel (Ephesians 6:19-20)
96. Spiritual gifts will be recognized and utilized (Ephesians 4:11-12)
97. Spirit of wisdom (Ephesians 1:17)
98. To love fellow Believers well (John 13:35)
99. That the Church would be a haven of peace in places of violence (John 16:33)
100. Young, dedicated followers of Christ would rise up (1 Timothy 4:12)
Why pray everyday?
It had been on my mind for months, this thing I wanted for my husband. I had lost sleep over it. Like clothes tumbling in a dryer, the concerns had been tossed around in my head again and again. I had "reminded" God, sporadically throughout the months, of these two needs.
It wasn't until one morning, when I finally sat alone, still, and in undistracted prayer, that they were answered.
Almost immediately. Both of them, that very day.
God doesn't always answer so obviously or quickly. But that experience was, in part, God reminding me of the importance of concentrated, deliberate, and intentional prayer in a still and quiet space (Psalm 62:5).
Yes, we must be praying while cleaning and cooking and running errands. But we should also be carving out time to pray undistracted and alone.
While one way of praying is not "better" than the other, the later can feel harder to make time for in this stage of life. It therefore tends to be the one that gets pushed to the back burner.
Praying in a still and undistracted space is a practice we should get to cultivate daily (Luke 5:16).
Three reasons we must be in habit of daily prayer:
1. We are a forgetful people
From the very beginning, the human race has been one that is forgetful and easily distracted (have you read the story of the Israelites?!). Prayer keeps our mind focused on what is true, and puts God in His rightful place of authority.
2. We must cultivate our relationship with God and be available to hear from Him
When my husband and I spend a few days without much more than the necessary logistical chit chat, I can feel the wedge. Relationship necessitates communication.
God is unknowable. He is vast. He is majestic. He is love. And He wants to share Himself with you. Why would you not be daily available for that? (Psalm 46:10)
3. The Bible says to
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says:
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Find the time to pray every day
One thing I've learned is this - if it's important to me, I'll carve out time for it.
If it's really important to me, I'll make it a habit.
And what is more important than this great privilege we have to communicate with the Creator of the world? A privilege, that before Christ, only the high priest had access to.
Nothing is more important. But our daily routines don't often agree.
So how do you find the time to pray everyday?
- you find make the time
- you make it a habit
You'll never "find" the time. You have to make it. Chisel it out. It might feel like carving something out of stone, but the most precious jewels are always found deep in the rock.
The entire structure of your day may have to change. Maybe you need to give up 30 minutes of sleep and wake up before the kids do.
Maybe your evening Netflix has to go.
Whatever you choose, pick a time, stick with it, and be consistant. If you can show up for a playdate, you can show up to commune with your Father.
If you need more tips on how to start a habit, head over here.
A simple daily prayer guide
Our prayer life should be seamless, right? As followers of Christ it's what we do (or want to do) every day, for crying out loud! Why then, if it's something we want to be part of our daily rhythm, does it feel so hard?
You're not alone. Paul can relate (Romans 7:15-20).
Meal planning is another routine task that can feel similarly overwhelming. When Sunday night rolls around, the empty week ahead can feel daunting.
One thing I've discovered to be helpful is having daily dinner "themes": Monday Stir Fry, Tuesday Pancakes, Wednesday Tex Mex, etc. A simple little plan like this can streamline meal planning for me.
The same applies to our prayer life. When you have a plan for how to pray throughout the week, it'll make getting into the habit of daily prayer just a little easier. So if you're still feeling stuck with this list of 100 things to pray for, here are some ideas for how to pray for these 100 prayer ideas constantly:
1. Pray for one category each day of the week (yourself, kids, church, etc) - there are seven categories on purpose!
2. Randomly choose 5 numbers between 1-100 and pray for the corresponding item.
3. Pick one item from each category to pray for each day.
Does my prayer time need to happen when it's quiet?
Paul tells us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer can (and should) happen throughout day, in the midst of the mess and chaos. That is part of the beauty of the Gospel - God came down to His people because we couldn't make it to Him. We don't have to pretty it up to be in communion with our God. Hallelujah!
Jesus does, however, demonstrate the importance of quiet prayer done in solitude (Mark 1:35). There is a change in spirit and demeanor when we are alone and can earnestly seek Him, bring requests to Him, praise Him, and listen without distraction.
So while much of your prayer life might happen in the middle of the mess, it is still important, as followers of Christ, to follow Jesus' example and set apart time to sit quietly in His presence.
In conclusion...
Designated time to be in prayer is an important discipline in the life of a follower of Christ. Jesus showed us that, the Bible tells is that, and as with any relationship, communication and time spent alone together is an integral part of a strong connection.
It doesn't have to be complicated. in fact, my hope is this list of 100 things to pray for help alleviate that barrier of knowing what to pray for.
Make prayer a habit. Choose a time and place, and keep it the same each day. If you are reliable with friends and family, you can meet God in a specific way each day.
You won't regret the time spent in His presence.
