How to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say

You don't need the right words

God is not waiting for you to say it perfectly. The Bible says that when we don't know what to pray, God's Spirit helps us, even in wordless groans. A sigh, a tear, or a single honest sentence is a real prayer.

Simple things to try

• Pray one honest line — "Lord, I don't know what to say, but I'm here."
• Borrow words — pray a Psalm (try Psalm 23 or 121) or the Lord's Prayer slowly.
• Name what you feel — "I'm scared," "I'm exhausted," "help."
• Sit in silence and simply be with God, no words required.
• Write it down if speaking feels too hard.
• Pray one word — "Jesus" — over and over is enough.

When it's grief or pain

If you are in deep distress, you do not have to dress it up or find a lesson in it. Tell God exactly how it is, complaints and all — the Psalms are full of raw, unfiltered prayer. And if it would help to have a real person pray with you, reach out to someone you trust; you were never meant to carry it alone.