If you want to know how to talk to God but are struggling to make your prayers feel genuine and authentic, check out these 9 different ways to pray. Each style of prayer appeals to a different personality type and can help you connect with God more authentically.
When I was younger, my conversations with God pretty much always went the same way. I would sit down somewhere quiet, close my eyes, and talk out loud about what was happening in my life.
But as I grew older, this form of conversation wasn’t as fulfilling as it used to be. I started craving new ways to connect with God.
Once I started to really think about creative ways to pray, the options opened up for me and my relationship with God started to deepen. When I started to mix and match different ways to pray to God, I began to feel like I was making real and authentic connections with him.
Now that I use a series of ways to connect with God through prayer and worship, I feel like I am developing a deeper relationship with him where I am speaking authentically and keeping in constant connection with his presence.
I know there are a lot of people out there who are like me. There are people who feel like the only acceptable way to pray is through solemn speech and quiet reflection.
But I want to propose 9 different ways to pray to God that can be just as fruitful.
I encourage you to try these different styles of prayer and worship. See if any of them help you to connect with God on a deeper level and don’t be afraid to switch it up from day to day.
I believe that every personality is able to have an authentic relationship with God and that it will look a little different for everyone. Take a few of these ideas to discover new and valuable ways to pray to God.
9 Different ways to pray and have a conversation with God that feels real and fruitful
Idea #1: Simply Talk
This form of prayer is probably the one you’re most familiar with but that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective.
Find a space where you won’t be interrupted and just start talking the way you would to a parent or a friend. In the same way that you would go to your own parental figure for advice, assistance, or just to vent, God is there for all of those things.
You can talk out loud, you can talk in your head, or you can write down your thoughts. Any way that you want to connect with God is acceptable- there’s no wrong answer.
Additionally, you don’t even need to be in a quiet space and your conversation doesn’t have to last an eternity.
Send a quick comment or request to God anytime throughout the day– kind of like a text message! He’s always available, so you can just chat away anytime throughout the day.
Here are some other times that are great opportunities to talk to God:
- Driving somewhere
- Walking outside
- Exercising
- Cooking
- Waiting in a doctor’s office
- Taking a shower or a bath
- Falling asleep at night
These are just a few ideas but I’m sure you’re starting to see that there is no limit to when you can talk to God.
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Idea #2: Prayer journaling
I’ve seen prayer journaling done a few different ways in the past but there are two that stand out.
The first example of prayer journaling is from a friend I had in university.
Everywhere she went, she had a journal in her hand. She was rarely without it.
I once asked her what she was writing in there all the time and she told me that whenever she had any sort of request, worry, or praise, she immediately wrote it down as a letter to God.
She was in constant connection with God through her writing and her relationship with him was stronger because of it.
Related Post: 31 Unique Christian Journal Prompts To Strengthen Your Faith
The second example of prayer journaling that stood out to me was one I saw on YouTube.
Two sisters created a prayer journal that was organized into different sections so that you could go through your prayers more strategically while still getting a little creative.
This is a great idea for people who need a little more guidance and structure during their prayer time.
If you want to know more, check out their tutorials on how to do a prayer journal!
Idea #3: Listen to God’s voice through the Bible
When you are trying to have a conversation with God, you don’t always have to be the one to start the conversation.
When you go to a friend’s house, you are not expected to give them a speech and then leave without hearing what they have to say.
A conversation is a back and forth thing. It’s rarely one-sided and it doesn’t have to be that way with prayer, either.
When you’re thinking about different ways to pray to God, consider simply listening on occasion.
Before you give out your thoughts, try to see if you can hear what God is trying to say to you.
Maybe you will just sit in silence and notice the thoughts, words, and ideas that pop into your head.
Other times it helps to open up the Bible and read some passages. The Bible is God’s voice speaking to you in the present and you can often get a pretty clear message of what he wants to say to you when you open it up and read.
I would especially recommend reading the book of Psalms. There are always valuable messages to receive in that book!
Related Post: How to Study the Bible as a Beginner: 10 Tips to Help You
Idea #4: Connect with God through nature
If you think about the relationships you have with people here on earth, you’ll recognize that not everything is centred around talking.
Sometimes it’s more about doing an activity together.
Interacting with nature can be a different way to pray to God that isn’t about the conversation.
Instead, it’s about recognizing all that God made for you and being thankful for those things.
Caring for nature can remind you of the blessings that God has given you and will give you an opportunity to appreciate him through those things. Besides, offering gratitude and praise is an important aspect of prayer that we often forget about when we’re just talking to him.
Tend a garden or care for your indoor plants
Set an intention to be aware of God’s work in nature and take some time to cultivate the plants in your home or garden. Try to notice its beauty and remind yourself that God cares for you in the same way that he cares for these plants.
Go for a walk
Going for a walk is already great for your health but it is also a great time to connect with God. Some people like to have a conversation with God while they are walking but others like to simply enjoy the time in silence. Both are totally okay!
Related Post: How to Enjoy Life’s Simple Pleasures
Idea #5: Use music to stay connected to God
Music is a great creative way to pray because music is often able to speak to us in ways that words can’t.
When people want to express their emotions but can’t get it out, we almost always turn to music. Why else would love songs be so popular?
Listening to worship music regularly can be an amazing way to stay connected to God throughout your day. The sounds can help you feel uplifted and often God will even find ways to speak encouragement to you through the lyrics themselves.
If you are looking for creative ways to pray throughout your day that don’t require anything fancy, this is a great one to try!
If you are musically inclined, it can also be nice to play the music yourself. Additionally, if connecting to music through dance is your thing then, by all means, dance!
Check out my favourite coffee shop worship playlist on Spotify!
Idea #6: Engage in artistic expression
Art can be another different way to pray to God that might not occur to you at first. It is hard to imagine that drawing or enjoying art can help you have a conversation with someone but it definitely can!
There are lots of different ways that you can try this, but I have three specific examples that work for me:
Try Bible journaling
This is a new trend that started in the last decade or so and it is a great one for creatives who want to interact with their Bibles on a more artistic level.
Basically, you pick a passage in your Bible and then add doodles, comments, and highlights to the page to make it look beautiful and to better communicate what you learned from that passage.
It is a fun and relaxing way to really listen to what God is saying to you through scripture.
Make artwork out of verses or inspiring phrases
Another creative way to pray and connect with God is to create little pieces of artwork to display around your home.
Find a verse or a phrase that encourages you and write it down on a piece of paper, then decorate the page to make it look nice. This is a great way to meditate on what God is saying to you.
Watch uplifting movies and read books -see what stands out to you!
I know this is a bit of a weird suggestion but I really do think that God speaks to us through all things, including books and television.
One creative way to pray is to watch an uplifting and positive movie and try to notice what resonates with you or read a book and see what scenes speak to you.
See those moments as messages that God is trying to tell you.
Whatever stands out to you in media- whether it’s a family connection, pursuing a new career, quitting an addiction, or anything else- there is likely something in that thing that God is trying to help you with.
For example, if you seem to notice mother-daughter connections in movies and books, maybe God is telling you that it’s time to form a deeper connection with your own mother. Look for things that stand out and let them inspire you.
Special Note: Personally, I don’t think these movies and books need to be explicitly Christian movies. However, I do believe that they need to have uplifting themes in them. Stories that are dramatic or inappropriate without a purpose won’t help you. Look for movies, books, and shows that are about real-life struggles or that are about people beating the odds or chasing after dreams. These sorts of stories can really help to encourage you.
Related Post: 80 Ways to Calm Down Your Anxiety and Worry
Idea #7: Practice Yoga
I know that yoga has been a bit of a taboo subject in the past but unlike popular belief, yoga is not a religion. Though it is commonly practiced by people of the Hindu and Buddhist faith, it is not a religion in itself.
It’s kind of like how many religions do not condone eating meat but that doesn’t mean that all vegetarians belong to that religion.
Yoga doesn’t align itself with any particular religion, but it is useful for all faiths because of its roots in contemplation and reflection.
The practise of yoga is all about taking care of the body and finding quiet and calm in order to silence the noise of the world and connect with the ‘self’.
The way I see it, yoga is a time to care for the body God gave me, meditate on what he is teaching me, and finding quiet and calm in order to silence the noise of the world and connect with the Holy Spirit.
Before starting a yoga practice, find a short phrase in the Bible that stands out to you. As you move through the different positions, try to meditate on that phrase. Let it comfort you and encourage you. When the practice is done, you can sit quietly and just try to listen for the Holy Spirit within you. That is one way to talk to God, as well.
If the idea of Yoga makes you uncomfortable, you could also just look at it as a time to stretch. As you stretch, think about a verse you read that day and try to listen to what God has to say about it.
Learn more about the origins of yoga: Is yoga a religion? A Beginner’s Guide
Idea #8: Do acts of service
One problem we have as humans is that it is natural for us to turn inward over time. It can be easy for us to fall into selfish patterns and only think about me, me, me!
Doing acts of service is a great way to start getting out of our own heads and noticing the world around us.
It is also a good way to worship God.
When we try to reflect the heart of Jesus, we are offering praise and worship to God.
Though it is not a conversation with God in the formal sense, it is still an amazing way to connect with him.
An act of service doesn’t have to be some grand gesture, either. It might be volunteering for a charity or social service group but it can also be doing favours for people you know.
On an even smaller scale, you can worship God in your day-to-day work, like doing household chores with a glad heart.
Next time you’re doing dishes, for example, try to see it as an act of service for those who live with you. You will be sure to notice a change in the way you connect with God during that time.
Related Post: How to Tithe and Why It’s Important
Idea #9: Get involved in community
Just like the previous idea, finding community can be another creative way to pray to God. When Christians come together to do anything, God is present and involved, and that in itself is a form of worship and connection.
Here are some things you can do to get involved in the Christian community:
- Invite friends over for a meal or a game night
- Go to a worship service
- Go to church
- Join a small group
- Go out for coffee with a friend from church
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Frequently Asked Questions about different ways to pray to God
How can I contact God directly?
Lucky for you, this part is pretty easy! Thanks to Jesus’ work on earth, you don’t need any special tools to talk to God directly.
When you talk, God listens.
Always.
So if you come to a point where you want to talk to God, you can just start talking! He is there to listen and you don’t need to give him anything but your attention.
Is there a wrong way to pray?
Not at all!
Prayer is simply a conversation with God and there’s no way to do it the wrong way. You don’t need to know any formal ways to address him or to sign off and you don’t need to be careful what you say to him.
More than anything, God wants your authenticity, so there’s no need to have a filter!
Say what you feel you want to say and let him guide you from there.
Is it OK to just talk to God?
Absolutely!
I’ve shared a lot of different ways to pray to God in this article but that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to simply talk to God.
If this is how you connect with him best, then do it!
Your relationship with him is just that- a relationship. It won’t look the same as it does for me or anyone else! So just do what feels authentic and comfortable for you.
Do you have to pray out loud?
If praying out loud is not your thing, you definitely don’t have to! You can use some of the different ways to pray that I suggested in this post, instead! You can pray in your mind or write it down or even sing it out!
The options are endless!
How can God talk to me?
This is a question that is a little harder to answer because let’s be honest, God’s not showing up in burning bushes for most people nowadays.
But we have something now that people didn’t have a long time ago.
That’s the Bible.
The Living Word.
God speaks directly to you in the words you read on those pages. That is one way that he can speak to you.
God can also connect with you through the Holy Spirit.
When you feel soft nudges in your soul or when a word or a picture shows up in your mind for no reason, it is likely God talking to you through the Holy Spirit.
You have to learn to quiet your mind to hear it well, but if you can do that you will probably notice God speaking to you this way.
How do I feel closer to God?
You can feel closer to God the same way that you can feel closer to friends- through spending time with him!
By using some of these different ways to pray to God, you will be able to create more ways to connect with him throughout the day. The more time you spend with him, the closer you will feel.
Why does God want us to pray?
I’ve always asked this question, too. I mean, if God already knows what you’re going to say and what he’s going to do, why does it matter for you to say it?
It’s because he wants to connect with you!
You are his greatest masterpiece and he wants you to come to him for the comfort and love that he has to offer you. He wants you to feel how deep his love runs for you but he can’t do that if you don’t show up.
God doesn’t want you to pray because it’s part of the rules or because he demands your attention.
It’s because he wants you to benefit from his love for you and because he loves to hear your voice.
How can I make my prayer more interesting?
If you have had the same prayer routine for your entire life, you will likely tire of it eventually.
Lucky for us, our connection with God is a dynamic one!
You can change things up and he’ll still be there.
I like to take these 9 different ways to pray to God and mix and match different combinations each day.
If I feel more active, I’ll take a walk. If I’d like to be a little crafty, I’ll do some Bible journaling. There are countless options that can make your prayer time varied and interesting!
Next time you feel like your prayer time is getting stale, try out some of these different ways to pray to God! By learning how to talk to God in creative ways, you will be able to stay connected to Him more easily throughout your entire life.
How do you like to connect with God? Do you have any other creative ways to pray? Share them with us!
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