When you come across the words “prayer journal,” what do you think of? You may be thinking it’s just another task that I have to complete. That is not the case, it is something that you can use in a personal way, something that you will want to do after a while.
What is a prayer journal? A prayer journal is something meant for you to write your prayers down on paper. It can help create a way to reflect your thoughts on paper. A prayer journal can be a journal that goes deep and is personal to each individual.
I hope that these will help you deepen your prayer life.
25 Prayer Journaling Prompts
There are various different prayers that you can pray, and journaling is a great way to process these prayers with the Lord. Use these prompts as a guide and made them your own.
God wants a personal relationship with you and a prayer journal can be part of that personal relationship.
If you are wondering where you can purchase a prayer journal or how to make one of your own; then I have a great resource for you! Click here to view it.
Here are 25 prayer journaling prompts:
1. What Am I Thankful For?
Though giving thanks is a beautiful thing, it doesn’t come naturally. There will be days where you do not want to choose being thankful. But we are called to have hearts of thanksgiving.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)
Someone once challenged me to write something that I was thankful for every day for a year. As I started that journaling journey, I realized how many things that I had to be truly thankful about. I urge you to do this as well; give thanks to God, every day.
Just start by writing one thing that you are thankful for, each day. You can either write it in list form or in paragraph form.
List form would make it short and sweet. Paragraph form is long and detailed.
2. God What Is Your Will For My Life?
Well, I was reading one day, and came across something that said, “Don’t pray for God’s will in your life; pray for God’s will.” That is it, just simply pray for God’s will.
God reveals His will to us in scripture, saying,
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV)
Pray about His will. Write down God’s will in your prayer journal. Then pray that it would come to fruition. You can even pray that God will use you as an instrument.
3. A Prayer For My Future Spouse
Do you ever think about praying for your future spouse?
This is something that most people naturally do, but it needs to be done with intention. Praying for someone who may not be in your life may feel a little odd, but you’re not praying to receive your spouse right now. You’re praying that their life may be centered around Christ and that they are being prepared to love you well vice versa.
Write down a prayer that God will work in their hearts and prepare them to be a husband or wife. Something else you can pray for is their walk with the Lord.
In the past, I was worried to get into a relationship. I didn’t want to be hurt or to have to face doubts about myself; I was scared. So I started praying about my future spouse. Praying that God would shape and grow them in the ways that only He can.
4. The Current Sins I’m Struggling With Are
Do you struggle with sin? Hopefully, you said yes, because we all do. When you are journaling you can write down a sin that you have been struggling with. Bringing light to the darkness in your life, though hard, is a freeing feeling.
“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1:5 (NIV)
Writing it down will help you to be able to go back and read it later, to see how God delivered you from that sin. God is greater than your sins. You just have to lay it at His feet.
5. Abba I Need Wisdom With
The Bible specifically says that we should ask for wisdom. Take a look,
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finidng fault, and it will be given to you.”
James 1:5 (NIV)
The passage of James one is just so good, I suggest you read it in whole.
Asking for wisdom is something that we, as Christians, should do a lot more of. We should want to be wise, to make wise decisions. You can start by just writing down the prayer for wisdom.
You can also journal about the ways you feel like God has given you wisdom. God helps give wisdom when we ask for it. I encourage you to ask from a humble heart. Be careful in your intentions of using for wisdom; do not ask just because you want to brag about being wise.
6. Help My Mom To
Do you have a good relationship with your mom? Whatever you answered, she still needs prayer. There are many things you pray for her, three examples would be to:
- give her strength
- let her know that she is loved
- guide her in her motherhood
Something that you may think about doing is, giving her one of the prayers you wrote down for her, or you can just write it down and keep it private.
7. Help My Dad To
Have you ever thought about checking up on your dad?
Now, you may not have a good relationship with him. Just like your mom, he needs prayer regardless of your feelings towards him.
You can pray for his job, for stress, for time to relax, or for him to come to the Lord.
Pray for him in whatever way God prompts you too.
8. Where Do You Need To Feel God At Work? What Co-workers Should You Be Praying For?
Does your job cause you to have stress? What about your co-workers, do they get on your nerves?
This prompt is to make you more aware of what your work life is like. Take some time to evaluate all the aspects of your job.
Pray for your manager, the co-worker that annoys you, for you to glorify the Lord in your work, for perseverance throughout your day, and for the days of your co-workers.
After a hard day at work, it might be a good idea to sit down and write prayers down for whatever made your day hard. Write down what God says. Pray for your work-life, God works through that too.
9. What Friends Are You Thankful For? How Have they Led You To God?
Are you thankful for your friends? If so, reflect that in your prayers. You can start by thinking of one friend, then write down a prayer of thanks and reflection for them. Continue to do this as you feel led with each friend.
You might have few friends or many friends. Whichever boat you are in, give thanks for them anyways. Both are something to be thankful for. God put those people in your life, give thanks for them to Him.
10. How Has God’s Love Been Revealed To You?
Isn’t God’s love amazing?
God loves us, the creator of this world loves us. He loves us so much. Give Him praise for that. In the Bible it says,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 (ESV)
There are many ways you can praise God for His love. Some being:
- The love God extends you
- The love God gives to His children
- The unconditional love He has for us
- The sacrifice of love He made to send His Son (Jesus)
God loves us a lot, more than we could ever warrant. He loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for us on the cross. Now that is a lot of love.
11. Where Am I At Right Now?
Where are you at right now?
No, I’m not talking about a physical location. I’m talking about your heart and mind.
In your journal, confess to God where you are, what season of life you think that you’re in. Communicate with Him. He already knows, but He wants to hear from you. He wants to comfort you, wherever you are.
When prayer journaling about this, you do not have to be in a bad spot. You could be in a season of joy, or a season of growth. It is also ok to not be in a good spot; you may be in a season of loss or be struggling with sin. Just be honest, write down a prayer for the area of life that you’re in.
12. Help My Children With
Do you have children?
If you do, you can write down a prayer for them. Pray for their hearts, pray for their growth, pray that they will desire to one day know God, pray that they will make wise decisions.
You can pray for your children no matter how old they are. Pray for them to follow God’s will. Pray that they will yearn to be stretched and that they will love others. You can pray for their friendships or for their school life.
Just sit down and journal your prayers for them, whatever the Lord puts on your heart.
13. Do You Want Children? What Would Be A Prayer You Would Pray For Them?
Are you a parent-to-be?
Whatever form that may be for your life; you can pray for the children that will be placed under your care and love. This prompt is similar to the prayers for your children. You are just praying in a more expectant way.
When I was young, I wanted a younger sibling so badly, that I prayed every day for one. About a year later, my mom was pregnant. I was so excited!! I’m sure that my parents were praying for my younger sibling as well. God answered my prayer, and now we are very close.
In some cases, families want to have children but are unable to. Earnestly pray for comfort and peace. Maybe even pray for other families who cannot have children as well. We can never understand how much someone may long for a child.
So, to the parents that are longing for a child. Pray for them, fervently, every day. Pray for perseverance to keep on trying. Lastly, pray that the Lord will answer your prayer. If you would like to read more about how God answers your prayers just click here.
14. I Need Discernment In
Do you feel like you lack discernment?
If you do, then that is something else that you can prayer journal about. You can ask God for discernment.
Discernment is having good judgment. If you think that you don’t have good judgment or are about to be in a situation that you need to have discernment for; pray about it.
In your journal you can write down some areas in your life that you feel you need discernment.
15. Help Me In My Pursuit Of Gaining An Education
Are you pursuing an education?
I know from experience that when you are pursuing an education, it can get hard sometimes. You could eventually feel burnt out, overly stressed, or just discouraged.
Let me remind you that it is not easy, but asking God for help with your education is a smart move. Pray over your education, the teachers, or the professors that teach you. Write down a prayer for help in your pursuit of education.
16. What Unreached People Groups Stand Out To You?
Do you know what an unreached people group is? An unreached people group is a people group that has yet to be reached by the gospel. They haven’t had the chance to hear the Word, to be able to understand it, it may not even be in their language.
Pray that they get reached, that they will respond well when they are reached, and that they will want to know more about God.
When approaching this prayer prompt you can look up an unreached people group. Then write down some prayers for them. Learn about this people group to be able to pray specifically for them. You continue to do this for however many people groups you feel led to pray for.
17. I Need Strength In
Are you worn? Do you feel weak?
You can pray for strength, you can ask God to give you the strength to keep living for Him.
Life sometimes gets heavy, sometimes we get weighed down. God will take those heavy burdens away from you or give you the strength to keep pushing.
With this prayer prompt you can write down some things going on in your life that you will need strength to make it through.
18. What has God done in your life? How has He worked through you?
Whatever your answers are, you can reflect them in your prayer journal. Give God praise for everything He has done so far. You can also give God praise for what He has yet to do.
Practicing praise for everything God has done in and through your life is such a glorifying thing to God. Give God the glory for what He has done.
You can start by writing down ways that God has worked in your life. Give praise for each one.
19. Are You Thankful For What Jesus Did For You?
Why should I be thankful for Jesus?
You should be thankful for Jesus because He gave His life to save us; because He loves us.
You can write down some prayers that show how thankful you are for Him. Write prayers about how thankful you are for the sacrifice He made for you. This prompt may work better if written in paragraph form. There is quite a bit of detail you might want to write down.
20. What Verse Or Passage In The Bible Stands Out To You?
Do you know any verses or passages in the Bible?
You can write down a verse or passage and just pray over it. Journaling about passages that the Lord brings to your mind is a good way to keep track of every one that He brought to your mind.
Continue to write down different passages and verses. You could try to write the whole Bible eventually. With that you would want to pray over each section.
21. What Are My Current Struggles?
Are you struggling with something?
You can write down what you are struggling with, in your prayer journal. He wants to meet you where you are at, amidst the struggles.
Just start by writing out all of your current struggles. With each one, you can pray over them. Surrender you struggles to the Lord. He does not want you to have to carry those burdens.
Invite God into your struggles; He wants you, all of you, not just your good times.
22. Why Are You Thankful That God Created You?
Are you living?
Hopefully, you said yes. Praise God for giving you breath, for giving you life. Praise Him for letting you live, praise Him for creating you.
Those are just a few ways you can praise God for creating you.
23. Thank You For Creating
Do you find beauty in creation?
I find beauty in creation quite often. Think of that sunset, those trees rustling in the wind, the rain that waters the earth.
Write down a prayer of praise for everything that God created. Whether it be the simplest or most complex things. God deserves the glory for it all.
24. I Need Peace In
Are you overwhelmed?
If you are, write down a prayer asking God for peace. It is not selfish to do that.
Ask for some peace in your life, ask for Him to show you how to find peace. Ask Him to let your heart be calm.
Start by identifying the areas in your life that have little to no peace. Pray for those and journal what you feel God brings to your mind.
25. Where Do You Need To Be More Humble?
Do you think that you’re humble?
Regardless of your answer, you should pray for humility.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
James 4:10 (ESV)
Pray that you will show humility in your life, your interactions, and the way you think. Journal a prayer for humility in you heart. Continue to be humble before others.
These are meant to be prompts to help you in your prayer journaling journey. You do not have to use all of these. They are here to help and inspire you. Now go get journaling!