What’s on your mind matters to God, because you matter to Him. As you develop the habit of praying, you will gain a sense of what God is talking to you about and what He thinks is worth your attention. In the beginning, try not to get too hung up on what you should be praying about. God has all the time in the world, and He’s far more patient with us than we are with ourselves. But if you’re ever in doubt, pray like Jesus. Jesus’ closest friends asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. The result is the best-known prayer in human history — called the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
(Matthew 6:9-13, New International Version)

Here are five lessons on prayer that we can learn from the example Jesus gives us in Matthew 6:9-13:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”
Jesus starts by establishing our identity as children of God. He emphasizes this relationship as a source of confidence that God listens when you pray.

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
It’s tempting to rush to the part of prayer where you’re asking God for what you want or need. But Jesus makes a point of placing God’s agenda first. He also uses this phrase as a reminder that what is true of God in heaven is also true on earth.

“Give us today our daily bread.”
Jesus models asking God for His own needs. Because God is a loving Father, He enjoys hearing what His children want and need, so that He can provide for them. Though He won’t give you anything and everything you ask for, He will provide what you need to get through each day, including His grace to sustain you.

“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Forgiveness was at the heart of Jesus’ teaching during His time on earth, and it’s here at the heart of His guide to prayer. Jesus first models asking forgiveness for anything you have done that displeases God. Second, He reminds you to consider any unforgiveness you might have toward another person and ask Him to help you forgive them.

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Finally, Jesus closes His prayer by encouraging His followers to keep in mind that the Christian life is a spiritual battle with a very real enemy. Jesus closes His prayer by emphasizing how quickly and naturally humans stray from God’s protection. Reading Jesus’ prayer slowly and considering each idea is a great way to listen to God. But this is just the beginning! The Bible suggests plenty of things that you can pray for at any time including:

  • Your connection with God growing deeper day by day.
  • Anything in your life getting in the way of your relationship with God.
  • The people God wants you to express His love to.
  • Your role as a representative for Jesus in the world (2 Corinthians 5:20).
  • Your family, friends and career.
  • How to manage the resources God has given you.
  • Christians who are persecuted for their faith around the world.
  • Your understanding of the Bible.
  • Developing the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has given to you.