Prayer has been one of my biggest struggles in my Christian faith.

It feels like talking to an imaginary friend, everyone does it differently, and no one seems to agree on what we are supposed to pray about!

Frustrating!

So, I went back to what Jesus says about prayer, and, as it turns out, he gave us some pretty specific things to pray about!

So, I wanted to take a minute and break down some of the pieces of The Lord’s Prayer and how it can help us pray.

Why this prayer in the Bible specifically?

Well, The Lord’s Prayer is the summation of all the prayers in Scripture (according to Dietrich Bonhoeffer), prayed through the very mouth and words of God through Jesus the Christ (again, Bonhoeffer).

If you want to know more about where Bonhoeffer gets these ideas and why I find them to be a good basis for studying The Lord’s Prayer specifically, then check out his book, Psalms: The Prayerbook of the Bible. (affiliate link, if you decide to purchase this book, then I do receive an affiliate commission from your purchase).

For each line of The Lord’s Prayer I want to offer one key highlight and application. I hope this helps you figure out how to pray!

Our Father in heaven

The word “Our” is significant. We are all united by the same God and Father. Always remember you are not praying alone.

May you name be kept holy

Names are significant and carry power. As you pray, remember that you carry God’s name wherever you go and represent God to everyone you meet.

May your kingdom come soon

A Kingdom requires a king, a rule, a land, and a people. Pray for ways for God to reveal to you where you play your part in these Kingdom pieces.

May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

God’s will comes with God’s active participation in making that will come to pass. Pray for ways you can come alongside what God is already going.

Give us today the food we need

We need just enough and we need to constantly rely on God. Don’t forget to seek God for all your needs each time you pray.

And forgive us our sins

Sorry to tell ya, but we all suck. It is time to seek forgiveness, no matter how difficult (also, there is that word “our” again because you are not alone as you pray for forgiveness).

As we have forgiven those who have sinned against us

You have been forgiven, so be quick to forgive others. If this is something you need to pray about, then go for it. Otherwise, make sure to pray for those you may not especially like!

And let us not yield to temptation

Tempting and testing can sometimes be one and the same. Continually seek God’s help in times of need!

But rescue us from the evil one

Jesus never told us we would be protected from evil, but he did say he would be there with us through the difficult times. Take some time to praise God for being with us in the good times and bad.

Letting the Lord’s Prayer Shape the Rhythms of Your Prayer Life

An all-encompassing roadmap to shape the rhythms of your prayer life! As you practice praying these things more and more you will get better and better at making prayer an important part of your life.

If you didn’t know already, I wrote a book about The Lord’s Prayer! So, if you want to deep dive and go into even more detail on some of these topics, then my book is available now on Amazon in ebook format or you can purchase it on PayHip in PDF, MOBI, & EPUB format (more options to put it on all your devices!).