Easy 5-Minute Prayer Rhythm To Change Your Life

Can a 5-minute prayer rhythm really change your life? I think so.

When praying through what God wanted me to focus on this year, I landed on a more intentional approach to my prayer life. I have grown SO MUCH in the frequency of talking to God throughout the day and praying for people as they need it, but I found I didn’t spend much time praying about other things.

For example, I wanted to practice getting quiet with God. Practicing silence and solitude to make space to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.

I wanted to be more committed to praying for my friends and family who don’t know Jesus. To pray for my friends who profess faith but aren’t close to God right now and for other needs my friends ask me about on a weekly basis.

I wanted to focus on practicing gratitude in an intentional and daily way. I learned the power of a daily gratitude practice from our Rhythms Reset Week, and I wanted to make that a cornerstone of every day this year.

A 5-Minute Prayer Rhythm Seemed Doable

Ok ok..so the title of this article may be misleading…it’s actually 5 minutes of prayer, 3x a day. Sorry for the false advertising, but a 15-minute prayer rhythm probably would have seemed less appealing to you!

The reason I wanted multiple designated times throughout the day to pray was so I’d have key moments of my routine that would push me toward God throughout the day. I’ve gotten pretty consistent at having a morning rhythm of prayer and spending time in my Bible, but sometimes after that, the day gets away from me and it’s hard to keep my mind set on God! That’s how I settled on doing three set times of prayer per day.

To be fair, it was also inspired by Pastor Tyler Staton of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon and I can’t wait to get my hands on his new book on prayer after hearing him talk about it! One of the best ways to add some fuel to your prayer life is to get around people with thriving prayer lives. It will inspire you to chase after God in ways you never have before.

When we create a vision or goal for our lives, it’s important that it’s reasonable. I am married, have three children under the age of 6, am pregnant with our fourth child, work part-time as a physical therapist, volunteer in ministry for our local church, and do writing/social media management/content creation/video editing for She Is Emboldened. This stage of life is FULL (in the best way!)

While I could potentially spend more than 5 minutes at a time in prayer, I wanted to set the bar low so that it was easy to hit. At least that’s what author James Clear taught me when I read Atomic Habits. He’s not a Christian, so I don’t agree with him on everything, but he’s got some good practical nuggets for creating meaningful life change.

What You Need For A 5-Minute Prayer Rhythm

First, you’ll need a quiet place to go. Have the place you’ll go in mind to make it easy for you to go there to pray. Don’t overcomplicate it! It can be getting up early 5 minutes before your kiddos and wandering into the living room to sit. Maybe it’s your kitchen table or in your car on your way to work or school drop-off. Know where you’ll do your prayer time each day.

Next, you’ll probably want something to write in. I’d recommend a notebook/journal and a notecard! Writing down my prayers helps me focus and slow down. Not only that, but it also allows me to look back on all of the prayers that God has answered. Documenting our prayers can be a source of encouragement to help fuel our faith.

I think I’m going to invest in some wire-bound notecard sets and put them in strategic locations for praying for certain people or needs. These ones are super cheap and highly rated, although, I may end up getting some that have some color like these.

Additionally, I’d recommend a timer. If you’re like me, your attention will be prone to wander and you’ll be glancing at the clock to see how many minutes you have left. Set a timer and let it ride so you can focus on being with God.

Finally, you’ll need to pick your times for prayer each day. I’m aiming for before my kiddos get up in the morning, sometime around lunchtime/naptime, and sometime after dinner each night. Do whatever works for you!

3 Areas Of Focus For Prayer

I chose 3 areas that I really wanted to focus on during this new 5-minute prayer rhythm. You may have different things that you would like to focus on, and that’s ok! There are no rules here, sometimes I just end up spilling my guts to God (tears or no tears) and that’s totally fine because it’s what I need! But when I pause and DON’T have something that comes to mind right away, I wanted to focus on these things:

1. Silence And Solitude In Prayer

The spiritual discipline of silence and solitude is a fancy way of saying to get quiet before God. Are you naturally a good listener? Me either! But I 100% believe in the importance of making space and quiet to allow the Lord to speak to us. So often we can miss God speaking to us because we are too busy or don’t make the space to invite Him to speak to us. One of my favorite pastors is doing a series titled, “God Comes Where He’s Wanted,” and I think making space to listen to God is a way of demonstrating our desire for Him.

Is this easy for me to sit quietly for 5 minutes? NO. I actually stink at it. But do I think the discipline of silence and solitude is worth it? Yes! And if it’s easier for you to listen to God while you walk, then do that! Remember, the rule is that there are no rules when it comes to cultivating a life of prayer. Do what works for you and your life stage!

2. Intercessory Prayer

Intercessory Prayer is simply praying for other people. Both for people to come to faith in Jesus, healing for illness, or other needs.

This is where the notecard comes in. WRITE DOWN all of the people that you’d like to see come to faith in Jesus. Pray for ways you could play a part in that. Whether it’s through conversations, hospitality, or praying with those people during times they need it.

Pray for your friends who’ve walked away from the church and are far from God right now. Ask the Lord to bring them back. Pray they would have Christ-like believers enter their lives who would help them heal the church hurt they’ve had in their past. Commit to praying for this group. I think they’re often overlooked in our prayer time.

Pray for specific needs the people in your life have. Commit to praying for these needs. When you say you’ll pray for people, really do it.

Like I said previously, the benefit of writing things down is to have the ability to look back and see what God has done. It helps you see His faithfulness in a tangible way!

3. Prayers Of Gratitude

I usually end the day by spending time thanking God for what He’s done that day. There is so much to be thankful for, even in the hardest and most trying seasons!

I can’t tell you how many of our friends and family have provided a meal for us over the last few months. We have had A LOT of illness in our family and this pregnancy has been particularly draining on both my immune system and energy stores. God has provided in a beautiful way through this community He has given us.

Thank Him for the small ways He is faithful to you every day. Whether it’s the people in your life, a delicious meal, a bit of sunshine, or special moments with your kiddos, don’t neglect to take note of the gifts He gives you each day. Even on the worst days, He is SO SO good to us!

Are You Ready To Start A 5-Minute Prayer Rhythm This Year?

I hope this gives you some footing if your goal is to deepen your prayer life and grow in your relationship with Jesus this year. Even consistent, small bits of time communing with God during the day can change your life!

I’m about a month into this prayer journey and I can already tell the difference it has made in my weeks to have prayer built into multiple times of my day. I am SO prone to distraction! I need these nudges to keep me close to the Lord.

Do you have any tips for prayer that have been helpful for you? Please share them in the comments!

Thankful for you!