The importance of family prayer time should not be disputed. It is the perfect opportunity to talk with God, thank Him for things in your life, seek help through hard times, offer up personal sacrifices, and ask for His guidance–simply put, it’s amazing.
Family prayer time can be very beneficial if done correctly. However, many families struggle to make time for this important activity. Some people work long hours, some families are constantly on the move (on vacation or visiting relatives), and some simply can’t seem to find a time that works for everyone.
But there are ways around these obstacles. We’ve developed an easy list of tips you can follow to ensure your family’s success in establishing a regular family prayer time.
1. Make a Commitment
Just like any other task or chore, it is important that everyone sees this as something serious and necessary. Tell the whole family at dinner one night that you’re going to start doing it every day, and let them know what time you’re going to do it.
2. Be Consistent
Whether everyone’s tired, someone’s hungry or someone needs to use the restroom–anything can come up that might prevent them from participating in prayer time. Find a good time of day where you can all pray together, and stick to that time as much as possible.
3. Stay Positive
It’s easy to become discouraged when some members of your family aren’t as excited about prayer time as you are. Reach out to those members and create a system that works for everyone.
4. Be Inclusive
Everyone in the family should be able to say something during prayer time, even if it’s just “amen.” Encourage everyone to participate and make it a positive experience for all.
5. Simplify
If your family is still struggling with finding times that work, consider inviting someone from the neighborhood or community over to pray with you once a week. This can be a fantastic way to keep prayer time alive in your household. Enjoy building relationships with others in your community!
6. Don’t Neglect Prayer
You might think all this planning is overkill–just pull out the Bible once in a while, say a prayer before meals, and call it good enough. But that’s not true at all. If you want something to grow in your life, you have to tend to it. Prayer time is no different.
7. Have Fun
If you make prayer time all about rules and regulations, your kids are going to tune out before long (if they haven’t already). Make it fun for everyone by starting the day with a game or some other activity that gets them excited about getting down on their knees and talking with God.
The benefits of family prayer time are countless and profound, and we can’t give them all here–but whether your family is new to the concept or has been praying together for years, these tips will help you continue that precious tradition. When everyone in your home participates in this activity, something magical happens: God enters the room and brings blessings like you never imagined.
What do all these tips have in common? They’re easy to follow, not time-consuming or complicated, and they make family prayer time a breeze for everyone involved. If it’s done correctly, there should never be an excuse not to participate.
Be willing to make some sacrifices for the benefit of your family. Family prayer time is an investment that will pay off tenfold in blessings down the road. Do all you can to ensure its success!
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