[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World whiteboard.]

4 Simple Steps to Start Praying

Prayer is not complicated—but getting started can feel that way.

The good news? God doesn’t want prayer to be intimidating. He designed it to be our lifeline—a direct, open, and daily connection with Him. And if you’ve ever felt unsure about how to begin—or struggled to keep going—you’re not alone. But prayer is a habit you can start today—and it begins with just a few simple, practical steps.

1. Pick a Consistent Time to Pray

First, prioritize prayer by picking a time and then protecting that time.

Selecting a time of the day helps ensure it happens every day and becomes a part of your routine.

Many find that the morning is most effective. That’s because you’re starting your day with one of the most important things you could possibly do.

In fact, Jesus prioritized His prayer time by praying in the morning. We see that:

In the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place: and there He prayed (Mark 1:35).

Starting your day with prayer—like making sure you’re dressed before leaving the house—is vital preparation for whatever lies ahead. Though, regardless of the time of day, the real key is to prioritize it by making sure it happens at a consistent time period every day.

2. Pray in Private

The second key is go to God in private.

God certainly wants to hear from us at any time, or anywhere, but Jesus warned that when we pray to God, especially our main daily prayers, it should generally be in private. He warned:

“When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:5–6).

Praying to God in private allows us to talk to Him without being rushed, without inhibition, without reluctance, and in genuine sincerity. It’s the right place to talk to Him about things in our life that might not be appropriate to share with others.

Now this doesn’t mean that praying in front of others is always wrong. We see plenty of examples in Scripture of God’s servants praying publicly or with others around.

The key is to make sure our main prayers are in private and are not done to be noticed by others. Otherwise, we risk losing the blessings God desires for us (Matthew 6:6).

3. Know What to Pray

The next key is knowing what to pray about.

This is one that many have trouble with when starting out. Ultimately, God wants us to have a close relationship with Him, where we pray to Him as well as read His Word, which is where we learn His thoughts.

Now, there are several different examples of prayer in the Bible and every prayer will be under different circumstances. Some will be short and some will be longer, and each may have a different purpose.

Find Instructions in “the Lord’s Prayer”

However, when Jesus was teaching His disciples about prayer, He gave a general model that can be helpful and followed for our main daily prayers. This is found in Matthew 6:9–13.

As we’ll see, it begins with reverence, then moves to God’s will and Kingdom, followed by personal needs, repentance, spiritual protection, and praise. He said:

“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9).

• He encouraged us to begin with glorifying and thanking God.

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

He instructed us to describe our desire for His coming kingdom and the need for His rule on this earth to fix this world’s problems.

This is in line with verse 33, where it says:

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

So, in this outline, it’s only after focusing first on God and His coming kingdom, that we spend time on our wants and needs, where we then pray:

“Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).

• Talk to God about your needs and about the needs of others.

God wants you to take time to talk about what’s happening in your life, no matter how big or how small. Some have made the mistake of thinking something is too small for Him to care about.

Philippians 4:6-7 says:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Continuing in the outline, He said:

“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).

• Coming to God in humility, we’re to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, and ask God to help us forgive others, knowing we need His forgiveness, because He said:

“If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:15).

Continuing in the model prayer, He taught us to pray for protection from Satan’s attacks and help us avoid sin, saying:

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13).

• Ask Him to protect you from the temptations of Satan the Devil and to avoid sin.

Finally, closing with praising God for His power and glory.

“For Yours in the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13).

Now, what Jesus gave was a model or outline for our main daily prayers. God wants us to talk to Him from our heart and from our own words (Jeremiah 29:12-13; Proverbs 4:23; Hosea 7:14), not just say the words of Matthew 6 as our prayer to Him.

He even warned:

“When you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them” (Matthew 6:7-8).

Some find it helpful to make a list that you can add to or remove from as things change in your life, or the lives of others you’re praying for.

Regardless of how you do it, it should be your own words from your own heart.

4. Don’t Worry About Praying Perfectly

Now the last key is don’t worry about getting it perfect. Just begin—and keep growing.

The key is that you begin. Don’t worry about how long to pray. Don’t worry about saying just the right thing.

We need to articulate our thoughts, needs, and desires, but we’re told in Romans 8 that:

The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26).

In other words, God and His Spirit will help us where we fall short.

Don’t worry if you forget to pray one day. Just pray as soon as you realize it, and start again back into your routine.

You may find that sometimes you don’t feel like it, but that can be normal when you’re starting out. Just ask God for strength, and do it anyway. In fact, you can even ask Him for the desire to pray to Him, if you’re struggling with it.

We’re told:

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

So even our desire to pray can be part of the prayer itself.

Don’t Forget to Thank God for Answered Prayer

But one final aspect of growth in prayer is to notice God’s answers and thank Him for those answers. It can be easy to ask for His help or guidance or blessings, and then not thank Him when those things come to pass.

Instead, thank Him immediately for the answers to your prayers, whether it’s “yes,” “no,” or “now’s not the right time."

And as you grow in the routine, as with anything, make adjustments for growth and improvement. Prayer is a major part of the foundation of our relationship with God.

And if you want more practical tips to deepen your prayers, be sure to watch this video 5 Points Jesus Taught in Order to Pray Effectively. This video goes into more depth about the model prayer that you’ll find helpful.