Getting started · 6 min read
What to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Say
Seven simple ways to start praying when your mind goes blank, with short prayers you can borrow today.
If you sit down to pray and nothing comes, you are not doing it wrong. Almost everyone who prays has felt this. The short answer: start small, say one honest sentence, and lean on words that already exist, like the Psalms or the Lord’s Prayer. God is not grading your vocabulary.
“In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.”
1. Say exactly how you feel
“God, I don’t know what to say. I’m tired and my head is noisy.” That is a real prayer. Honesty opens the door that polished words often keep shut.
2. Pray the Lord’s Prayer slowly
Jesus gave his friends a prayer when they asked how to pray (Matthew 6:9–13). Say one line, then pause and add a thought of your own. “Give us today our daily bread… and help me with the rent this month.”
3. Borrow a Psalm
The Psalms were written by people who were scared, angry, grateful and confused. Psalm 23, 46, 62 and 121 are good places to begin. Read them out loud as if they were your words, because they can be.
4. Use a simple pattern
When structure helps, try four words: Thanks, Sorry, Please, Help. One sentence each. It takes under a minute and covers what matters.
- Thanks: one thing from today you are glad about.
- Sorry: one thing you wish you had done differently.
- Please: one need, yours or someone else’s.
- Help: one place you need strength tomorrow.
5. Pray for one other person
Sometimes the words come easier when the prayer is not about you. Think of one person and say their name. Ask God for one good thing for them today.
6. Be quiet on purpose
Prayer is not only talking. Sit for one minute without words. Breathe slowly. If it helps, repeat a single line: “The Lord is my shepherd.” Silence with God is still time with God.
7. Write it down
If speaking feels awkward, write two or three lines in a notebook or on your phone. Many people find their real prayer only appears once they see it on the page.
“God, I don’t have the right words today. You know what I’m carrying better than I do. Take my tired thoughts as a prayer. Give me peace for tonight and enough strength for tomorrow. Amen.”
It gets easier
Prayer is a relationship, and relationships grow with small, regular moments more than rare big ones. Two honest minutes a day will change more than one perfect hour a month.
If you want a gentle start, Lift writes a short Scripture-based prayer for you and the people you care about, and reminds you at the time you choose.
Common questions
Is it okay to pray without knowing what to say?
Yes. The Bible says the Spirit helps us when we don’t know how to pray (Romans 8:26). One honest sentence, or even silence, is a real prayer.
What is a simple prayer for beginners?
Try “Thanks, Sorry, Please, Help”: one sentence each. Or pray the Lord’s Prayer slowly, adding your own thoughts after each line.
How long should I pray?
Start with one or two minutes a day. Regular short prayer builds the habit better than rare long sessions.
Updated October 22, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (public domain).