Praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) seems like a simple command. We could just do it.

Yet, so many of us struggle to pray. Prayer often seems like a challenge to overcome. We want to do it right. And out of fear of praying “wrong”, we simply don’t pray. And when we do decide to pray, we don’t know what to say.

Fortunately, there is grace for all who struggle. Sometimes all we need is a simple structure to guide us so we don’t get stuck in our heads.

Here are seven prayer methods or models you can use when prayer feels daunting or overwhelming.

Pray with Scripture

There are moments when we don’t know what to pray for. We know what we’re dealing with, but we struggle to put it into words.

And this is when we turn to God’s Word. 

The Bible addresses virtually every topic. Thus, you can simply pray about what the Bible says about what you’re dealing with.

For instance, if you struggle with unhealthy thoughts, pick verses like Philippians 4:8 or 2 Corinthians 10:5 and pray them to God:

God, your words say to fix my thoughts on what is pure and holy, but my thoughts are dark and impure. Please help me. Transform my mind so that it may reflect what you call good. Amen.

Whatever is on your mind, search related Bible verses and pray on it.

The ACTS Prayer Model

This method provides a simple step-by-step structure to guide the flow of your prayers. When you can’t get your thoughts out of your head, try this:

A - Adoration: praise God and give Him glory for who He is. Recognize the majesty of His name, the immensity of His power, the goodness of His heart. - Lord, I praise you for you are God, good, and holy.

C - Confession: admit your sins and ask for forgiveness. Recognize your shortcomings. Don’t hide them. God knows you are not perfect, and He is ready to forgive you (1 John 1:9). - Please, forgive me for I have sinned against you.

T - Thanksgiving: thank God for all He has done for you, big or small. Find things around you and in your life that you are grateful for - thank you for the breath in my lungs, food on my table, and your presence in my life.

S - Supplication: ask God for whatever your heart may desire. Don’t hold back, anything that you may want or need, bring it to Him. - Please open these doors for me; grant me peace; help me with my exams; heal my family, etc.

The PRAY Prayer Model

Similar to the “ACTS” model, this method provides a structure where each letter corresponds to an action:

P - Praise: always start with recognizing God’s immense glory. He is the King of kings. He is holy and deserves all the praise (Psalm 96:4).

R - Repent: we all fall short before the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And when we do, we come back to Him in humility to confess our sins and turn from our wicked ways.

A - Ask: our Father already knows what’s in our hearts, but He also wants to hear from us. So tell Him what you need. Ask Him anything, and I mean anything.

Y - Yield: surrender your will to God’s will. We don’t always know what’s best for us, but He works all things for our good (Romans 8:28). Pray that His will be done in your life.

The TRUST Prayer Model

As the name implies, this method focuses on training your mind to trust God by remembering who He is, His faithfulness, and goodness.

T - Thanksgiving: thank God for who He is, His mercy, the gift of salvation, and the multiple blessings He’s showered you with.

R - Remember: take a moment to think back on all the things He has done for you. List as many things as you can remember, from the far past to yesterday.

U - Unburden: release any burden you’re carrying. Whatever feels heavy for your mind, body, and soul, tell God about it.

S - Surrender: testify with your lips that you have surrendered to God’s will. Submit to Him and His leading.

T - Trust: declare your trust in God. Whatever you ask for, believe you’ve received it (Mark 11:24). Trust that God’s plan for your life is good and perfect.

The HEART Prayer Model

This model invites you to bare your heart before the Lord. Strip yourself of everything and lay it all at your Father’s feet.

H - Honor: recognize who God is and give Him glory. Bow down before the throne of God and acknowledge His Lordship over you.

E - Examine: look deep into your heart and see what’s in there. The Bible says that the heart of man is wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Name the symptoms out loud, confess the dark, secret parts of your heart.

A - Ask: ask God for healing and restoration. Ask Him to give you a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19). Ask Him to transform you in His image.

R - Request: pray for those around you. Step away from yourself for a moment and pray on behalf of others. 

T - Thank: thank God for His mercy, forgiveness, faithfulness, and goodness.

Use Prayer Prompts

Sometimes, you simply need a push in the right direction, and prayer prompts can help. 

They can be a short prayer to unlock your brain and heart, or simple directives on what to pray at any given moment.

Research different prayer prompts on Google or Pinterest, on various topics, and write them down in a journal. When it comes time to pray, simply open the journal and allow the prompts to guide you.

Petition and Release 

There are moments when you might need to lay it all out. No structure, no method, simply pouring out your heart to God.

When your heart feels heavy, overwhelmed, or in pain; when anything feels too much, just release it. Talk to God as you would a best friend. Complain about what’s annoying you, express your anger, sadness, or your overwhelming joy. 

Just speak to Him. He’ll listen to you.

Prayer doesn’t need to be fancy, lengthy, or complicated. It’s simply talking to God.

But as with any relationship, communication can be hard. It may take time before it becomes automatic and bursts forth from a place of trust and security.

Until you reach that place, pick one of the above methods and stick to it over a period of time; a week, two weeks, a month, whatever it may be. Eventually, praying won’t be so scary anymore.

And always remember that the Holy Spirit is there to help you whenever you fall short or struggle (Romans 8:26-27, John 14:26, John 16:13).

Stay blessed!