“Prayer is standing in the presence of God with the mind in the heart; that is, at the point of our being where there are no divisions or distinctions and where we are totally one. There God’s Spirit dwells and there the great encounter takes place.”
– Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart
If there was a degree in Making Things More Difficult Than They Need to Be, I would have earned it by the time I finished first grade.
My fourth grade oral book report went on so long I had to finish it the next day. Finally, my teacher told me that would be all and I remember thinking that is most certainly not ALL. I haven’t even gotten to the climax yet, much less the end of the story.
I said more words than needed saying and turned a simple summary into a full-blown re-telling. As an author, I would like to think I’ve learned a bit about the economy of words, finding, as Oliver Wendell Holmes called it, the “simplicity that lies on the other side of complexity.”
For someone who likes to be understood, it can feel incomplete to say less – both in life and in prayer.
Help, Lord doesn’t seem sufficient in the midst of heartache.
Come Lord Jesus feels inadequate in the midst of loss.
While I know our Father welcomes us to come to Him no matter how many words we want to say, I also know it can sometimes feel overwhelming if you don’t know where to start.
If that’s you, scripture offers comfort and hope in the form of short prayers.
- Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean. (Luke 5:12, a leper’s prayer of hope)
- My Lord and my God! (John 20:28, Thomas’ prayer of belief)
- I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true. (Luke 1:38, Mary’s prayer of acceptance)
- Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God. (John 6:58, Peter’s prayer of belief)
- Lord, help me! (Matthew 15:25, a mother’s prayer of desperation while her daughter was suffering)
Sometimes it takes more faith to say less words.
Today, let’s keep things simple. Let’s hold on to Jesus in our posture and actions. Let’s not try to pack in more words than our hearts can carry.
If prayer feels hard even while the pressure to do it feels heavy, perhaps you’ll borrow one of these short prayers from scripture to hold onto, breathe in and out, and keep the presence of the Lord always before you.
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What is a short prayer that has been meaningful for you? We would love to pray along in the comments.
Kathy Livick says
July 11, 2016 at 11:26 AMThank you!!! This was exactly what I needed to hear today. I lost my mom last year, my best friend, from 6 years of Alzhiemer’s, and my dad has had it along with her. He is slowly dying now and a few months ago my brother took his own life, and now I changed jobs last year after 14 years of someplace else, and this is in jeopardy now. I have been a FT single working mother of 5, and just have 2 kids left at home, who are a great help to me. And my first husband died very young and I had 2 kids and the second one I had to divorce, b/c of drugs and alcohol and he also died last year. Thank you for all of your items on your blog, God bless, kl
Debbie Dunn says
July 11, 2016 at 12:01 PMPsalm 92: 1 & 2 – It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High; to declare Thy lovingkindness in the morning and Thy faithfulness by night.
Beth williams says
July 12, 2016 at 8:31 PMKathy,
Prayers for healing to come to your soul. I understand the loss of parent to dementia. I lost my mother in 2009 after two years bedridden with sundowners, etc. Now my dad had really bad dementia & other major health issues. He has fallen down recently and in recovery. It is soo hard to stand by, care give and watch your parents slowly fade away with dementia. I pray God will bless you with peace and contentment. May you feel His loving arms surround you during this time!
Blessings my sister in Christ! 🙂
SherriLen Amundson says
July 1, 2019 at 5:25 PMBeth,
Thank you for your grace-filled note to Kathy. May I be so gracious as I start down the road of caring for my mom, who is in the early stages of dementia.
Beth Ann Chiles says
July 11, 2016 at 12:01 PMThank you, Emily. Perfect prayer for our time . I think sometimes my prayers are cries of desperation for our world but I know God hears them. Each and every one.
Ruth says
July 11, 2016 at 12:06 PMThank you. I learned from reading Marilynne Robinson that, “Please help us all,” is a good prayer. I pray it often. Thank you for highlighting the prayer of the gentile woman in Matthew 15, whose daughter was suffering from demon possession. “Lord, help me!” She was praying for her daughter; she was praying for herself. For those of us with loved ones suffering under the oppression of the enemy, these are good words to have open on the page before us as we approach the throne of God, whose mercy falls like crumbs across all the earth.
Jenny says
July 11, 2016 at 12:30 PMMy very, very favorite prayer is simply “Thank you”. It works in time of great sadness and in times of great joy.
Carolyn says
July 11, 2016 at 1:02 PMThank you, Emily! I so resonated with your words in the email notification of your new blog post. It’s only Monday and I feel like I ran out of words about three weeks ago. Grateful for space for my soul to breathe and not need to find the right words.
Zainab says
July 11, 2016 at 2:12 PM“Rescue Me, my God and my King!” Lyrics of thr track “Rescue Me” in one of Selah’s album. I could never forget that track. Ever.
Christa says
July 11, 2016 at 3:08 PMLord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me ( a sinner).
Aimee says
July 6, 2017 at 4:22 PMYes! Seth Haines makes a beautiful refrain out of this simple prayer in his memoir, Coming Clean
Lisa says
July 12, 2016 at 11:24 AMHe who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20
Kathy Cheek says
July 12, 2016 at 1:16 PMI love that God knows the innermost thoughts of our hearts, even when we may not say it well, He is our safe haven when we pray.
Marcy says
July 12, 2016 at 4:21 PM“Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief.”
Marcy says
July 12, 2016 at 4:22 PM(Also, right there with you — shorter is often harder for me.)
Beth williams says
July 12, 2016 at 8:33 PMEmily,
There are times in life when it seems hard to pray. Thank you for these short simple prayers we can utter anytime! I know God hears and understands our prayers and situations.
Blessings 🙂
Donna says
July 13, 2016 at 8:22 AMThank you Emily. When I’m overcome with heartache & grief prayer most definetly “feels hard even while the pressure to do it is heavy.” This past week my goal has been to just breathe….thank you for these short prayers and relieving the guilt that sometimes comes with not being able to pray long meaningful prayers. XO
Melinda Conway says
July 13, 2016 at 9:38 AM“Thy will be done.”
Debi G. says
July 22, 2016 at 10:19 AMOver my adult years, my life has been very difficult. I developed bipolar disorder, which has been under control for 10 years now, thank God. Now that I’m doing better mentally, my body seems to be failing me, bit by bit. At Christmas 2015, I fell down the stairs, landing on my head & shoulder. My husband kept telling me not to move. It turned out I had a broken clavicle (shoulder?). Now, by life is full of doctor’s appointments for myself & my husband. We haven’t done anything fun in at least 5 years. Also, he went through 10 years of colon cancer &, praise God is in complete remission for 5 years. But, now, he has developed dementia. He was very emotional & paranoid for the first year or so. He’s finally on anti=depressants & seeing a specialist monthly. For the most part, he’s his old self again. But, being basically housebound for the last years, due to needing a walker, being very weak & tired & not driving anymore, my life has become dull & often depressing. I feel so lonely & desperately need at least 1 friend. Please pray along with me, that, as I seek God first, He will provide me with a friend that I can share & laugh with. I’m a social person, & have truly been missing that. Also, I pray that God will help me go back to church regularly. I miss it, but I sometimes think I’ve just become lazy. God, please make my life, along with me, to be more meaningful & filled with you & other believers. Thank you. AMEN
Julia says
July 6, 2017 at 3:46 PMI was talking to my mother about this very subject this morning.
But here is a prayer I painted on a rock and put in my flower garden near my front door:
Dear LORD,
I can weed, water and feed these plants to make a beautiful garden. But only you can weed, water and feed into the lives of those who enter this house. Make our lives flower like this garden.
Amen
Aimee says
July 6, 2017 at 4:26 PMI love the beginning of a starting-the-day prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer that goes, “O God, early in the morning I cry to you. Help me to pray and concentrate my thoughts on you. I cannot do this alone.”
Nancy says
May 15, 2018 at 2:59 PMI have two short prayers that I use often:
Be still and know that you are God;
And
Thy face, O God, do I seek.
Rebecca M says
June 30, 2019 at 7:28 PMI pray 1 Peter 5:7 in my own words. “I cast all my anxiety on you Jesus because you care for me.”
Katie says
July 10, 2019 at 1:55 PMI’m a panic-er who struggles with anxiety. When I feel the temperature rising, so to speak, like the situation is becoming more than I can bear, I pray, “Jesus, be near.” And I’m reminded he always is.
Cherie says
July 12, 2019 at 6:02 AMLord, you are a present help in time of need.