90 Ways To Pray…For Those Times When You’re In A Prayer Rut

by Best Of Catholic-Link.org | Our Most Popular Catholic Resources And Articles, Prayer, Rosary

Have you ever found yourself in a prayer rut?

Perhaps you’ve been saying the same prayers for so long you no longer pay attention to the meaning behind the words.   Your prayer routine has become just that, routine.  Though it is good to be in the habit of prayer, we must not lose the heart of our prayer.

Prayer is ultimately a relationship between us and God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God, in His goodness, has given us many forms of prayer.  Our very life can be a prayer if we let it!  Praying in a new way can help us to learn about God in a way that we have never thought about before.  If you need a prayer boost, try one of these suggestions! 

90 Ways To Pray

1. Amen – This simple prayer means “I believe.”

2. The Sign of the Cross

3. The Our Father

4. The Glory Be

5. The Jesus Prayer“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

6. Read the Psalms (Start with Psalms 23, 46, and 51)

7. Do a prayer walk and pray for your neighbors as you pass by each home.

8. Prayer to the Holy SpiritCome Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.  O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

9. Pray that many would hear the call to a vocation to the religious life.

10. Anima Christi

11. Listen to Christian music. Let the lyrics lead you in prayer.

12. Set an alarm to remind you to pray every day at 3pm. This is the Hour of Mercy.  “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”  You don’t have to pray an entire Chaplet, just pause to reflect on Christ crucified for our sins.

13. Choose to fast from something (music, food, technology)  for the day

14. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your prayer. “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” – Romans 8:26

15. A Litany of Humility

16. The Morning Offering

17. Sit outside and adore the beauty of God’s Creation

18. Make a consecration to Mary  (33 Days to Morning Glory)

19. Attend a Bible study or prayer meeting at your church

20. Make a list of the attributes and qualities of God


Ways To Pray Holy Rosary


21. The Act of Contrition

22. Use prayers of Aspiration – Praise the Lord, Thanks be to God, Bless the Lord

23. Pray for Peace in our world  and an end to hatred, discrimination, and injustice (Peace prayer of St. Francis)

24. Use Holy Water, Blessed Oil, or Blessed Candles in your prayer time

25. St. Michael the Archangel Prayer

26. Pray for the intentions of the Pope

27. The Hail Mary

28. Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

29. Pray for the leaders of our country and our world

30. A Litany of Praise

31. Pray over your children when they are hurt or sick. “Jesus help them feel better quickly. Amen”.  Also, pray a bedtime prayer with them. Teaching your children to pray is a beautiful gift to both them and God. 

32. The Apostles Creed

33. Make a box to store prayer cards and holy cards.  Pull one out when you need to pray.

34. Meet a friend for a Prayer Date and pray with one another.

35. Pray for priests and others in religious life.

36. Make a Spiritual Communion

37. Guardian Angel Prayer

38. Create a list of all the things you are thankful for and praise God for His goodness

39. Do a spiritual work of mercy

40. The Daily Examen  from St. Ignatius (Check out the app!)


Ways To Pray The way of the cross


41. Write your own prayer in a Journal or try Bible Journaling

42. The Angelus

43. Pray as you do household chores such as dishes and laundry. Lift up the needs of the person you are serving through your task.

44. Listen to Gregorian Chant

45. Pray that our culture would understand the Beauty, Miracle, and Sanctity of ALL Life

46. The Memorare (or even an “express novena” of nine Memorares!)

47. Think about someone you might have forgotten to pray for and lift up their needs immediately.

48. Scroll through the contacts on your phone and pray for each name you come across. 

49. Do a corporal work of mercy

50. Go to Confession

51. Pray for the needs of the poor

52. Read the Gospel readings for Sunday Mass/Daily – Laudate App

53. Make an Examination of Conscience

54. Make a list of prayers that have been answered and thank God!

55. Pray the Seven Sorrows of Mary

56. Pray for miracles, signs, and wonders to show the power of God and convert many hearts

57. Learn about and try Praying with breath 

58. Read a spiritual book or a daily devotional to help you understand the Scriptures.

59. Go to Adoration. Sit with the Lord and enjoy being in His presence.


How to pray Lectio Divina


60. Lectio Divina

61. The Liturgy of the Hours

62. Pray for the sick, the suffering, and the dying

63. Pray St. Gertrude’s Prayer“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.” The Lord told St. Gertrude that every time this prayer is said 1000 souls will be released from purgatory!!

64. Spiritually Adopt an Unborn Child and commit to praying for them over the next 9 months

65. Pray the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love

66. Pray for families and marriages to be rooted in God’s love and strengthened through grace.

67. Pray before and after meals

68. Pray for each friend on your Facebook page, pray for the person you are sending an email to, or pray your Twitter feed

69. The Rosary –  Try a scriptural or Pro-life rosary

70. Pray for the Lonely, Hopeless, and Despairing that they would find Hope in Jesus

71. Pray for someone who died unexpectedly that they would receive God at the hour of their death

72. Practice The Rule of St. Benedict

73. The Nicene Creed

74. Find a Saint to pray with and learn more about

75. The Litany of the Precious Blood

76. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

77. Chaplet of Divine Mercy or one of many other Chaplets

78. The Way of the Cross

79. Pray the ABC’s.  Start with A and think of a word that describes God (example A – God is Awesome, B- God is Beautiful, etc) and work your way through the alphabet.

80. Pray for the spiritual and physical needs of each member of your family 


7 Sorrows of Mary How To pray


81. Simply speak the name of Jesus!

82. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you, save souls!”

83. When someone thanks you, or praises you, give the glory to God and  respond “praise God!,” or “AMDG – To the Greater Glory of God!”

84. Sing the seasonal Marian Antiphon

85. Offer your day for a specific intention for a loved one, friend, or stranger.

86. Wear your prayers. My Saint My Hero offers Blessing bracelets, Scapular earrings, and Saint necklaces.  This jewelry will serve as a reminder to pray through your day.

87.  Sit in silence and listen for the voice of God.

88.  Pray a Novena for a specific intention

89.  Find a Bible verse that you like and memorize it so you can pray it often.

90. Attend THE MASS as often as you can – our highest form of prayer

 Leave your suggestions for prayer below! We can all help one another grow in a relationship with God through prayer.  

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