If we find ourselves too busy to pray, perhaps our starting point is to pray about our time management. Not sure how to pray? Scripture provides help.
Prayers in the Bible Asking God to Help Us with Our Use of Time
We can ask God for help using theses prayers from the Psalms.
Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Ps. 25:4-5)
Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. … But I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. (Ps. 31:3, 14-15)
Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. (Ps. 39:4-7)
Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. (Ps. 86:11)
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Ps. 90:12)
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? … I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. … Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! (Ps. 139:7-17)
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. … Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. (Ps. 143:8, 10)
We might start our day with Nehemiah’s prayer. We could substitute the last phrase with that which applies to us.
Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man. (Neh. 1:11)
Then, of course, we have what’s come to be known as the Lord’s Prayer. Pray it with your schedule for the day ahead in mind:
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. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matt. 6:9-13)
Bible Verses about Time Usage We Can Turn into Prayers
Here are some verses that can relate to how we use our time and where we find the strength to go through our days and live according to His purposes.
Matt. 6:33
Matt. 11:28-30
Rom. 12:1-2; 13:11-14
1 Cor. 10:23, 31
2 Cor. 4:6-10, 5:9-10, 17-18
Eph. 4:1; 5:15-17
Gal. 1:10; 6:9-10
Col. 3:17; 4:5
1 Thess. 4:1
Heb. 13:20-21
1 Pet. 1:17-25
Be encouraged to make the effort to look up these Scripture passages and turn them into prayers that ask for God’s help in your time management. As an example, Matthew 11:28-30 reads, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” You might use it to pray something like,
“Lord, I come to you for rest because I am weary and burdened with all I have to do. I need you to carry my load. I need to learn from you. You are so gentle and humble in heart that I know you will help me. You said that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. I need to stop striving and trust you.”
Whether we use actual prayers from the Bible, or use Scripture as a guide, let’s commit our time, our plans, whatever it is we have to do, to the Lord (Prov. 16:3).
For More on These Topics:
All Posts about Time Management:
- Disciple-Making Schedules
- Sustainable Schedules
- Prioritized Schedules: The Number One Priority
- Prioritized Schedules: The Second Priority
- Accountable Schedules
- Spiritually Blessed Schedules
- Spiritually Productive Schedules
- Hindrances to Spiritual Productivity
- Time for One Another
- Christ-like Schedules are Purposeful
- Time Managed by the Gospel
- Tips for Gospel-oriented Time Management
- Grace for These Times and How You Manage Your Schedule
- The Difference Grace Makes in How We Manage Time
- The Spirit Helps Us Manage Time
- How Spiritual Gifts Help with Time Management
- Busyness Affects Ministry
- Combatting the Lies about Busyness
- Too Busy to Pray?
- Biblical Prayers about Time Usage
- Good Stewards of Our Time
- Managing Time in the Name of the Lord
- Let God’s Word Guide the Use of Your Time