Prayer is so vital to our spiritual life. It’s a topic that Jesus’ followers take incredibly seriously. It’s a practice we aspire to do better at, and we regularly look for inspiration to motivate us to do it more passionately and intentionally.
And although it’s as easy as speaking, we all must learn how to pray. When Jesus teaches His disciples the Lord’s Prayer, it’s because these men—who have prayed their entire lives—asked Jesus to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1).
But even after years of consistent and heartfelt prayer, we can go through dry and difficult seasons. Sometimes, we don’t know what to pray or how to pray. We may even struggle to want to pray. And at times like this, it’s helpful to lean on the prayers of others.
History is full of prayers that can inspire us to deeper and more introspective prayer. They can provide a helpful jumping-off point for our own prayers, or we can even lean on them when we can’t find our own words.
Here are seven prayers you may find meaningful.
1. The prayer of St. Patrick
Patrick was a fifth-century missionary who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Much of the Western world celebrates St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, considered the day of his death.
The following prayer, attributed to Patrick, is a beautiful reflection of a heart that wants to be surrounded by Jesus. It asks that Jesus not accompany the person praying but that He also be before them and prepare their path. It’s a prayer that the Lord is there wherever they look and wherever they are. Not only do they ask that Jesus be ever-present to them, but that Jesus makes Himself obvious to others through their lives as well.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
2. The prayer of St. Francis
Born in the late twelfth century to a wealthy Italian silk merchant, Francis had an encounter with Jesus that caused him to abandon worldly wealth. He spent years as a beggar, collecting alms to rebuild collapsing chapels. He eventually started the Franciscan Order.
Francis’ prayer is a thoughtful example of selflessness. At the top, it asks for the praying person’s life to be a tool God can use to restore faith and hope to others. And it’s in the second part of the prayer where our natural tendencies are redirected. Instead of focusing on many of the requests we tend to ask of Jesus, the prayer asks for an opportunity to do those things for others: console, understand and love.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love;
Where there is injury, pardon
where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may seek
not so much
To be consoled, as to console,
To be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
3. The prayer of St. Richard of Chichester
Richard was a thirteenth-century bishop of Chichester, England. This prayer is a simple yet powerful expression of thanksgiving for the benefits of knowing and loving Jesus. Praying this prayer can remind us of Jesus’s sacrifices that enabled us to walk in relationship with God.
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefit which you have given me;
for all the pains and insults which you have borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
day by day,
Amen.
4. The prayer of John Calvin
John Calvin (1509-1564) is the most crucial figure in the second generation of Protestant reformers. He not only dramatically impacted the direction of the church going forward, but it could also be argued that he played a significant role in shaping the modern world.
In a vibrant devotional life, there are always seasons when you’re competing for your own heart. You want to remain vigilant and awake, and not become insensitive to the things of God. Calvin’s prayer is perfect for those seasons.
Grant, Almighty God, that as thou shinest on us by thy word, we may not be blind at midnight, nor wilfully seek darkness, and thus lull our minds asleep: but may we be roused daily by thy words, and may we stir up ourselves more and more to fear thy name and thus present ourselves and all our pursuits, as a sacrifice to thee, that thou mayest peaceably rule, and perpetually dwell in us, until thou gatherest us to thy celestial habitation, where there is reserved for us eternal rest and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
5. The prayer of John Wesley
John Wesley wore many hats. He was an eighteenth-century clergyman, evangelist, revivalist, theologian, and even a hymnist. On top of all that, he started the Methodist movement.
Wesley prays to be filled and changed. He believed the goal of prayer was not just to receive answers for our petitions but to seek personal transformation. Consistent prayers like this can lead to personal revival and growth.
O God, seeing as there is in Christ Jesus an infinite fullness of all that we can want or desire, May we all receive from him, grace upon grace; grace to pardon our sins, and subdue our iniquities; to justify our persons and to sanctify our souls; and to complete that holy change, that renewal of our hearts, Which will enable us to be transformed into the blessed image in which you created us. O make us all acceptable to be partakers of the inheritance of your saints in light. Amen.
6. The prayer of Elisabeth Elliott
Elisabeth Elliott was a missionary who lost her husband, Jim, as he tried to make contact with the Huaorani people of Ecuador. She spent years ministering to the very tribe that killed her husband. She went on to become a very in-demand devotional writer and speaker.
Her prayer is a perfect daily morning prayer for anyone. You might even want to commit it to memory and pray it before you even get out of bed.
Loving Lord and heavenly Father, I offer up today all that I am, all that I have, all that I do, and all that I suffer, to be Yours today and Yours forever. Give me grace, Lord, to do all that I know of Your holy will. Purify my heart, sanctify my thinking, correct my desires. Teach me, in all of today’s work and trouble and joy, to respond with honest praise, simple trust, and instant obedience, that my life may be in truth a living sacrifice, by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, my Master and my all. Amen.
7. The prayer of Martin Luther King, Jr.
As one of the key leaders in the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. was an influential leader and powerful speaker. He was also a Baptist minister and writer. He led the movement until he was assassinated in 1968.
King’s prayer is a powerful one that reminds us that we should pray like prayer is the only thing that matters but work as if the answer to those prayers depends on us. Whether we’re praying for human rights or the fulfillment of the Great Commission, we’re not just asking God to do the work but to bless our efforts as we continue to work out His will.
O God…we thank Thee for Thy Church, founded upon Thy Word, that challenges us to do more than sing and pray, but go out and work as though the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon Thee. Help us to realize that man was created to shine like the stars and live on through all eternity. Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace, help us to walk together, pray together, sing together, and live together until that day when all God’s children…will rejoice in one common band of humanity in the kingdom of our Lord and of our God, we pray. Amen.
Pray with Jesus Film ProjectWe’re enthusiastic about ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has the opportunity to experience the life-changing story of Jesus. But we need people like you to participate with us in prayer. Visit the Jesus Film Project prayer page for ways to pray for and with us!
