This year has caused many of us to seek a deeper prayer life as we faced isolation, fear, and struggles of every kind. As the months went on, themes emerged in the key word searches of this site. Similar burdens were on the hearts of those in our community, and I wanted to share the prayers that address those concerns with you as we turn the corner into 2021.
I’m so grateful for the stories you’ve shared with me when God spoke to you through these prayers. Though I shouldn’t be, I’m always amazed when I learn the very thing God has placed on my heart was also placed in the path of someone else who was in need of the same message at the same time. Isn’t it amazing how God works in the hearts of others to speak to us?
What follows is a list of the Top 5 prayers that were read and reread over the last year by number of views on this site.
May we continue to be an encouragement to one another in the new year.
5. A PRAYER FOR WHEN YOU CAN’T PRAY
Has the discouragement of this year stolen the prayers from your mouth? There are times when we don’t know how or what to pray. That’s why one of the most popular prayers from this site in 2020 was A Prayer for When You Can’t Pray.
[Related Posts: The Two Question Prayer, The Daily Mission Prayer]
4. A PRAYER AMID THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
It’s no surprise many of us were looking for God’s hope and guidance through the pandemic. This article and prayer was published just as the coronavirus started taking hold of our nation in March. Along with another posts about covid-19 that broke the Top 10 list, A Prayer Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic continues to be one of the most visited pages on the website this year.
[Related Post: A Call to Purpose During the Pandemic]
3. A PRAYER FOR WHEN YOU’RE OVERWHELMED
Has anyone else felt overwhelmed with the weight of pandemics, murder hornets, social unrest, and political chaos while trying care for your family? You’re not alone. A Prayer for When Your Overwhelmed broke the Top 3 in our list and was receiving a lot of traction even before the coronavirus hit. God doesn’t want us to feel overwhelmed, and I hope this prayer will continue to encourage you.
[Related Posts: A Prayer for Overcoming Fear and Anxiety, A Prayer for the Lonely]
2. A SHORT PRAYER OF SINCERITY
Speaking of feeling overwhelmed, a lot of people struggle with how to talk with God.
“What if I say the wrong thing?”
“Will my prayer be good enough?”
But prayer isn’t as complicated as we like to make it. I think that’s why A Short Prayer of Sincerity continues to be one of the most visited prayers on our site, even though it was posted several years ago.
[Related Posts: When You Pray: Relationship or Ritual?, 5 Things Replacing God’s Direction in Your Life]
1. A PRAYER FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY
I was a little surprised that “A Short Prayer of Sincerity” was knocked off the top spot by a holiday prayer, but I think it speaks to the deep need for us to be praying for our country right now. Our nation needs healing and our leaders need the hope of Christ if we’re going to overcome this time of division in America. A Prayer for Independence Day was adapted from my book, American Psalms and was the top pick among several other posts on praying for America that were also heavily visited.
[Related Posts: How to Start Praying for America, A Prayer for Election Time, How to Pray for a President You Can’t Stand]
BONUS: 10 WAYS TO HEAR FROM GOD
What about non-prayer pages? The most visited post that wasn’t directly related to a written prayer was the two-part article, 10 Ways to Hear from God. I find that encouraging because it means we’re starting to understand that talking at God isn’t the same as having a relationship with Him. We have to do more than talk, we need to listen. This popular post may be the key to a deeper relationship with Christ in our prayer life–not because it contains a prayer, but because it reminds us that God is still speaking.
[Related Posts: 10 ways to Hear from God Part 2, Fasting: What Christians Should Know]
Lovely articles! Prayer is truly the powerhouse for the believers, and I am challenged to dive deeply in to the Scripture prayers!
Thank you, Holly. I pray we’re all challenged to a deeper prayer life.
Continuing to pray for the world. We need God. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you, Melissa. Yes, our world needs prayer. May God change our own hearts as we pray for His will in our nation and world.
Have uttered these very prayers, and many more, over this past year. While we can’t know what 2021 will bring (I’m praying the rapture of the church), my most fervent prayers these days are for my wife and for all those I’ve yet to be able to sow God’s love and mercy into. My prayer for them is simply, “God, please help me to reach those who don’t yet have the relationship with You that You desire Lord.”
That’s a beautiful prayer, J.D. I’ve been working on a lesson I’m teaching at Celebrate Recovery next week and just wrote these words:
“…every interaction we have should be rooted in the question, ‘What can I do to be a reflection of the trust we’re asking one another to put in Christ?'”
May we all be a reflection of Christ’s mercy, hope, and compassion to those who are hurting in 2021.
Thr one good thing that has come from the events of 2020 has been people ran to God. A prayer we can all pray is that all will stay in that mindset and not turn back to themselves when things get better.
Amen, Barbara. We so easily run to God in trials and then try to forge our own path when we feel a little better again. I join you in praying that we would hold tight to the provision and guidance of God in the new year.
Interesting that America was a top pick for prayer. May that continue. We sorely need prayer and God’s help.
I completely agree, Nancy. I’m hopeful this season restores the church’s burden to pray for our nation.