Simple Prayers To Pray Throughout The Day
Lately, I have really been appreciating the power of reciting simple prayers throughout the day.
I have always struggled to sit down and focus in order to pray for an extended period of time. With this being the case, I began making an effort to incorporate quick chats with God throughout my day. Sometimes, this means reciting a quick prayer I have memorized when I am feeling flustered. Other times it means running through intentions during class change. It often means saying a quick “thank You” or asking for an increase in virtue.
For so long, I was under the impression that prayer had to be a long and formal thing, but even my short and straightforward prayers can be so fruitful. Obviously, heart-to-heart conversation is the root of our relationship with our Lord, so it is incredibly important that we find time for it in the midst of our busyness. When our state of life calls us to work or school, we cannot constantly be in a reverent state of prayer. However, we can still hold a prayerful mindset and go about our days intentionally.
Simple Prayers
“Good morning, Jesus.”
Mother Teresa started every morning with saying these three words out loud. I have started to adopt this practice as well. Addressing Jesus as soon as we wake up lets Him know that He is our top priority—we want to start our day in His presence and fullness of joy.
“Blessed be the Lord, for He has heard my prayer.”
Someone mentioned to me that they recite this after making a request to God. Usually, it can be pretty difficult to patiently submit to the Father’s will. By rejoicing in the mere fact that our Lord hears our prayers, we are filled with hope and peace. He does not have to immediately answer our every prayer for us to know that He is working.
“Jesus, I trust in You.”
This is a popular one since it goes along with the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Saint Faustina received the Divine Mercy devotion as a method to obtain the mercy of God and to trust in His abundant mercy. I pray these words frequently—when I’m anxious, upset, or seeking forgiveness—to submit myself to our Lord’s sovereignty.
“Thank You for this opportunity to serve.”
There are times when we are asked to help or complete a task for someone when we are feeling dull and weary. When this is the case, I try to remind myself to rejoice in the opportunity to serve. By saying this prayer, I am evoked to love as Christ loves.
“Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything.”
This is a line from the Litany of Surrender. I like to pray it whenever I am feeling overwhelmed or stressing over a lack of control. These words remind me of God’s unfailing authority. These words provide me with a sense of peace.