Is Your Prayer Life Alive?
Why and How to pray great prayers
Right off the bat, I want to acknowledge that I don’t believe there’s one correct way to pray. I also don’t claim to have all the answers, nor is this article meant to be some kind of definitive guide to “doing it right.” The title is, admittedly, a little clickbaity. But what I want to talk about today is something I’ve been reflecting on for a while, and I believe it’s worth discussing.
I grew up in the Christian & Missionary Alliance tradition—a pretty straightforward evangelical experience. In my church, prayers were always extemporaneous, with the only exception being the Lord’s Prayer. That was just the norm, so I didn’t think much of it until I encountered other traditions. I still remember attending a Catholic confirmation service and, separately, hearing my Lutheran friend’s family say “Grace” before dinner. Both times, I noticed they were using pre-written prayers, and my gut reaction was, That’s weird. That doesn’t come from the heart.
Years later, after spending time in an Anglican church, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the beauty and tradition of liturgical prayers. That shift in perspective—moving from skepticism to appreciation—has made me think a lot about different approaches to prayer. So today on Wisdom Now: Why and How, I want to dig into different types of prayers, their strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately, Why and How to pray great prayers.
Why
… Pray Great Prayers?
Let’s be honest—prayer can become routine. Maybe you mumble a quick “Thanks for this day” before bed or rattle off a meal blessing that’s more muscle memory than conversation with God. For a lot of Christians (myself included), prayer can slowly drift into the background, becoming something we do out of habit rather than out of deep longing. And when that happens, we risk missing out on something truly transformative.
I want to talk about why it’s worth breaking out of surface-level prayer and moving toward something richer—whether that’s through the depth of traditional, time-tested prayers or the raw honesty of deeply personal ones.
1. The Value of Traditional, Liturgical Prayers
I used to think pre-written prayers were impersonal, like reading someone else’s love letter to God instead of writing my own. I figured real prayer had to be spontaneous, straight from the heart. But the more I explored liturgical traditions, the more I realized how wrong I was. A comparison I heard recently from Skye Jethani sums up my current thinking on this well: no one complains that the lyrics to worship songs are pre-written—so why do some hesitate to embrace written prayers? If we can pour our hearts into singing words crafted by someone else, allowing them to shape our worship, why shouldn’t the same be true for prayers that have stood the test of time?
Such prayers—like those found in The Book of Common Prayer or the Liturgy of the Hours—aren’t lifeless words. They are the collected wisdom of centuries of believers who struggled, worshiped, repented, and rejoiced just like we do today. When we pray these prayers, we aren’t just speaking for ourselves—we’re joining the voices of millions of Christians before us.
More than that, structured prayers help when our own words fail us. There are seasons when prayer feels dry, or we don’t know what to say. In those moments, these prayers give us something to stand on. They remind us of truth when our emotions waver. They keep our focus on God’s character rather than just our immediate needs. And they root us in something bigger than ourselves—the global and historical Church.
2. The Power of Deeply Personal, Extemporaneous Prayers
On the flip side, prayer isn’t just about repeating words—it’s about relationship. Imagine if the only way you communicated with a loved one was by reading pre-written letters from hallmark. Beautiful? Maybe. Personal? Not so much.
Some of the most powerful prayers in Scripture were raw, unfiltered, and deeply personal. Think of Moses begging God to spare Israel, David pouring out his soul in the Psalms, or Jesus sweating blood in Gethsemane. These weren’t polished or poetic—they were real.
Personal prayer allows us to bring our true selves before God—the joys, the doubts, the frustrations, and the unspoken fears. It’s where we acknowledge our dependency on Him, where we wrestle with our faith, and where we surrender.
The problem is, many Christians never reach this level of intimacy in prayer because we settle for the quick and easy. We pray when it’s convenient, but we rarely sit in the quiet and actually seek God. And when we don’t cultivate that kind of depth, we miss out on some of the most profound experiences of faith.
So, why pray great prayers? Because God invites us to something deeper. He gives us the wisdom of the Church through structured prayers, the freedom of personal expression in extemporaneous prayers, and the promise that when we truly seek Him, He listens.
How
… to Pray Great Prayers
Now that we’ve talked about why it’s worth breaking out of surface-level prayer, let’s get into how to actually do it. The good news? There’s no single formula—prayer is both an art and a discipline. But if we want to develop a richer, deeper prayer life, we need to be intentional.
How to Incorporate Liturgical Prayers
If you’re not accustomed to praying written prayers, they might feel stiff or impersonal at first. But just like worship music, they give us language to express our faith, sometimes in ways we wouldn’t come up with on our own.
• Use a Prayer Book – Resources like The Book of Common Prayer offer time-tested prayers that can guide your devotional time.
• Memorize Foundational Prayers – The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is the perfect example of a structured prayer Jesus Himself gave us. Other examples include prayers from saints like St. Augustine.
• Pray the Psalms – The Psalms were the original prayer book of God’s people. They cover every human emotion—joy, grief, repentance, hope—and can shape our own prayers.
• Don’t Just Recite—Engage – Approach liturgical prayers not as empty rituals, but as meaningful words you step into. Read them slowly, reflect on their meaning, and let them guide your own personal thoughts and petitions.
How to Develop an Intimate and Passionate Prayer Life
While structured prayers are valuable, prayer is ultimately about relationship. We don’t just recite—we talk to God. And sometimes, that means raw, unfiltered honesty.
• Make Space for Silence – Deep prayer requires slowing down. Set aside quiet time to be still before God.
• Be Honest and Specific – Don’t just pray in vague generalities. Bring your real thoughts, fears, and struggles to God.
• Pray Scripture – Take a verse or passage and use it as a launching point for personal prayer.
• Keep a Prayer Journal – Writing out prayers can help you process your thoughts and see how God moves over time.
• Pray Throughout the Day – Prayer isn’t just for the morning or bedtime—it’s an ongoing conversation with God
Six Key Characteristics of Great Prayers (From Chip Ingram)
Whether written or spontaneous, great prayers share common characteristics:
1. They are deeply personal – Even when using structured prayers, make them your own. Let them shape your heart, not just your words.
2. They are birthed in brokenness– Great prayers come from a place of need and reliance on God, not just routine.
3. They champion God’s agenda – They aren’t just wish lists; they are the longings of someone who understands God’s agenda for his world
4. They take God seriously – They focus on His promises rather than just our problems.
5. They demand great Courage – Why? Because they are DANGEROUS! They boldly demand of God that He live up to His character. They dare to stand in the gap becoming the answer to the prayer if God wills it.
6. They ask the improbable, expect the impossible, and receive the unthinkable – Because of who God is, we can pray with confidence.
Application
Liturgical and personal prayers are not opposites; they are complementary. Structured prayers can shape our hearts and give us words when we struggle, while extemporaneous prayers keep our relationship with God alive and real. When we engage in both, we move beyond surface-level prayers into something truly transformative—prayer that is deeply personal, faith-filled, and in tune with God’s will. To this end, I encourage you to take some time, reflecting on the following prompts and trying to apply these insights to your life.
1. What are your current prayer habits? Do you tend to rely more on spontaneous, personal prayers, or do you find comfort in structured, liturgical prayers? How might incorporating both bring greater depth to your spiritual life?
2. Have you ever tried using liturgical prayers? If not, what hesitations do you have? How might using resources like The Book of Common Prayer or praying through a Psalm help shape your heart and deepen your connection with God?
3. Do your personal prayers feel meaningful and honest, or do they sometimes feel repetitive and surface-level? What might help you engage in more raw, intimate conversations with God? Have you considered journaling your prayers or praying out loud?
4. How can Scripture shape your prayers? Have you ever taken a passage like Psalm 23 or the Lord’s Prayer and personalized it? How might praying through Scripture help align your heart with God’s will?
5. What would it look like to establish a daily rhythm of prayer? Are there natural moments in your day—such as mornings, mealtimes, or bedtime—where you could set aside time for intentional prayer? How can you create a habit of consistent, meaningful prayer without making it feel like just another task?
6. Are you praying bold prayers? Do your prayers reflect deep faith in God’s power and promises, or do they tend to stay safe and small? What’s one bold, faith-filled prayer you can start praying today?
Ok, I’m done. Thanks for reading! If you made it this far, I will give you one dollar if you find me in real life.
SDG