# Top 5 Prayer Hacks: Simple Habits That Help You Pray Better

Five small, Bible-based habits that make prayer easier to start and keep, from praying the Lord’s Prayer line by line to short prayers through the day.

Source: Pray.com — https://www.pray.com/articles/top-5-prayer-hacks  
Author: PRAY.COM  
Category: Prayers  
Published: 2026-11-03  
Last revised: 2026-11-03

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**If you want to know how to pray better, the most useful prayer hacks are small, steady habits: remember who you are talking to, borrow the words Jesus gave, keep your prayers honest, and give prayer a regular time and place.** None of these are tricks for getting God to listen, because he already does. They are simple ways to clear the clutter so you can show up and talk with him.

A lot of people who love Jesus still feel stuck when they pray. Pastor Matt Smallbone, lead pastor of Church of the City Downtown in Nashville, says as much in his Hope Talks conversation on [Pray.com](https://www.pray.com/), which you can watch above. He admits that prayer was the one subject he never felt good at, even as a pastor. His starting point is worth hearing: “What you think God is like is gonna dramatically impact the types of prayers that you pray.”

That line sits underneath every habit below. Each one comes with a verse from the World English Bible (WEB), and each one is small enough to try today.

## 1. Start with who God is

Before you bring a list, take a moment to remember who is listening. When the disciples asked, “Lord, teach us to pray” ([Luke 11:1](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/luke-11/#v1), WEB), Jesus began with a name. He taught them to call God “Father.”

> > “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.”
> >
> > — Matthew 6:9, WEB

If you picture God as a busy boss or a disappointed teacher, your prayers will come out short and nervous. If you picture a good father who is glad you came, you will find it easier to stay a while and say what is really on your heart. Try opening with one sentence about God before you ask for anything, such as “Father, you are good and you know me.”

## 2. Borrow the pattern Jesus gave

The best prayer hack in the Bible came straight from Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount he said, “Pray like this,” and then gave a short prayer that covers praise, God’s will, daily needs, forgiveness and help against temptation ([Matthew 6:9-13](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/matthew-6/#v9), WEB).

Smallbone describes the moment this verse jumped off the page for him: “It’s Jesus saying, this then is how you should pray.” He realized he had read every prayer book and still had never fully committed to the way Jesus taught, so he decided to pray the Lord’s Prayer several times a day for the rest of the year.

You can do a smaller version of that experiment. Pray the Lord’s Prayer slowly, one line at a time, and after each line add a sentence or two of your own. After “Give us today our daily bread,” you might name the bills, meetings or meals in front of you. Our guide to [the Lord’s Prayer](https://www.pray.com/articles/the-lords-prayer) walks through each line if you want to go deeper.

## 3. Use fewer, honest words

Many of us grew up hearing long, polished prayers in church and assumed that was the standard. Jesus set a different bar.

> > “In praying, don’t use vain repetitions as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him.”
> >
> > — Matthew 6:7-8, WEB

Smallbone puts it plainly: “So it’s not about volume of words.” A short, honest prayer said with your whole heart is worth more than a long one you are performing for an audience, even an audience of one. When you don’t know what to say, it is fine to tell God exactly that. Paul says the Holy Spirit “helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought” ([Romans 8:26](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/romans-8/#v26), WEB). If you want examples, our collection of [short prayers to connect with God](https://www.pray.com/articles/short-prayers-to-connect-with-god) is a good place to borrow a few lines.

## 4. Give prayer a time and a place

Prayer gets easier when it has a home in your day. Jesus himself had a habit:

> > “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.”
> >
> > — Mark 1:35, WEB

Daniel prayed “three times a day” at an open window facing Jerusalem ([Daniel 6:10](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/daniel-6/#v10), WEB), and he kept doing it when it cost him. Your time and place can be much simpler. It might be the first five minutes after you pour your coffee, the drive to work with the radio off, or the edge of your bed before you turn out the light. Pick one, tie it to something you already do every day, and keep it for a week before you add anything else.

If mornings work for you, these [morning prayers to start your day with gratitude](https://www.pray.com/articles/4-powerful-morning-prayers-to-start-your-day-with-gratitude) can give you words for the first few days. If evenings fit better, try our [night prayers](https://www.pray.com/articles/five-powerful-night-prayers).

## 5. Keep the conversation going through the day

A set prayer time is a good anchor, and the Bible also invites you to keep talking to God between those times.

> > “Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.”
> >
> > — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, WEB

Praying without ceasing doesn’t mean you stop working or talking to people. It means God stays in the conversation. A one-line thank you when a meeting goes well, a quick request for patience in traffic, or a whispered prayer for a friend when their name comes to mind all count. Some people set a reminder on their phone for midday, and others pray every time they wash their hands or walk through a certain door. Small cues like these turn ordinary moments into short conversations with God.

## When prayer still feels hard

Every one of these habits will have off days. Smallbone talks openly about his own barriers, including a fast mind that wandered to his phone during long prayer times and the pain of prayers that weren’t answered the way he hoped. Those struggles are common, and they don’t mean you are bad at prayer or that God has stopped listening.

The Bible’s answer is to come anyway. Hebrews says, “Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need” ([Hebrews 4:16](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/hebrews-4/#v16), WEB). When worry is what keeps you from praying, Paul’s words in [Philippians 4:6-7](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/philippians-4/#v6) are a good place to begin, and our [prayers for anxiety](https://www.pray.com/articles/prayer-for-anxiety) can help you start.

## A short prayer to begin

Here is a prayer you can say at the kitchen table or in the car, using all five habits at once:

*Father in heaven, thank you that you already know what I need. Teach me to pray the way Jesus taught. Help me to be honest with you, to make room for you each day, and to keep talking with you as I go. In Jesus’ name, amen.*

## Keep reading and listening

- [More from Hope Talks Podcast Videos](https://www.pray.com/series/hope-talks-podcast-videos/)
- [How to Pray: The Only Guide You’ll Need](https://www.pray.com/articles/how-to-pray-guide)
- [The Lord’s Prayer: Its Meaning and Where to Find It in the Bible](https://www.pray.com/articles/the-lords-prayer)
- [12 Daily Short and Simple Prayers to Connect With God](https://www.pray.com/articles/short-prayers-to-connect-with-god)

*AI-assisted from **[Pray.com](https://www.pray.com/)** episode transcripts, then reviewed and approved by Matt Potter.*