Prayer is a sacred, beautiful and powerful thing. But a deep prayer life doesn’t just happen overnight. It requires great work, practice and dedication.
As we continue to walk with Jesus and navigate the journey He has placed before us, our prayer lives will be full of hills and valleys, just like every other area of our lives. There will be seasons prayer comes naturally and abundantly. But there will also be seasons where we feel like our prayers aren’t getting us anywhere.
In week three of this blog series, we talked about learning how to pray when we don’t know what to say. But what happens when we know what to say but feel stuck in our prayers? How can we breathe new life into our prayer life when things grow stagnant?
Today, I’m sharing seven resources that have helped jumpstart my prayer life over the years. I’d love to know what resources have helped you in the comments below!
Seven Resources to Revive Your Prayer Life
The Bible
Y’all. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: There is no substitute for the living and breathing Word of God! God’s Word is full of inspiration for our prayer life. Not only does Jesus model prayer for us in the New Testament, but the Psalms are full of sample prayers that we can personalize and bring before God. My favorite Bible right now is actually one that was designed with teen girls in mind — the NIV Faithgirlz Backpack Bible (pictured above) — but who says an adult can’t enjoy a kids Bible? God’s Word is God’s Word! It’s beautiful, compact, soft and brings a smile to my face before I even open it up! (If you have a teen girl in your life, or if you’re like me and just appreciate pretty things, this Bible is sure to bring joy to anyone that picks it up.)
“Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy With God” Book
This book by Tim Keller offers readers way to make prayers more personal and powerful. In addition to offering biblical guidance, Keller talks about how to pray for specific situations, such as dealing with grief, loss, love, and forgiveness. If book reading is your thing, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God
“Release the Power Of Prayer” Book
George Müller’s testimony of a life lived solely in prayer and dependent on God alone is incredibly inspiring and powerful. Release The Power Of Prayer encourages us to let the Holy Spirit be our teacher and depend on God for every area of our life in prayer.
“War Room” Movie
No movie has influenced my prayer life more than War Room
A Mentor
Do you have a mentor or a close friend who can encourage you in your prayer life? This has been monumental for me as I continue to follow after Jesus and obey the calling He has placed on my life. When I feel like I’m in a rut or my prayer life needs revival, I often reach out to strong women of the faith who can pray for me and with me. What I have found is that God oftentimes uses other believers to help give us the breakthrough we need.
A Music Playlist
Did you know that when we sing our favorite praise and worship songs to God we are actually praying to Him? Prayer is a form of worship, and worship music can open the door to a new way of prayer in our lives. Here’s what I like to do: Every morning, after spending quiet time with the Lord, I listen to this music playlist I created on Spotify. Whether I’m at home or driving in my car, I pick two or three praise and worship songs and sing the words out to God at the top of my lungs. When the songs are over, I continue praising Him in prayer by thanking Him for everything I have and everything He is.
A Journal
When we feel stuck in our prayer life, sometimes the best thing we can do is write down what we are feeling on paper. Find a quiet place in your house to sit and pour your heart out to God. Your sentences don’t need to be complete or eloquent and it’s just between you and God, so give yourself the freedom to be free with your words. When you are finished writing, close by praying and asking God to help revive your prayer life.
Love this! These resources are spot on! I have always heard so much about George Mueller and will have to check out his book. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Lauren! This is a great list of resources. I like to keep a journal of all the answers God gives me through prayer. Sometimes its uplifting and other times He tells me a hard truth that I need to know. But no matter what God’s answer is, I can look back on His words during those times when He is silent. Then I have confidence that my prayers are effective even when it feels like they are not.
Great ideas for assistance with prayer, Lauren!
One of my favorite books on prayer is, “The Hour that Changes the World.”