For your relationship
How to Pray Together as a Couple (Even If It Feels Awkward)
5 min read
Many couples who share a faith pray on their own but rarely pray together. It can feel strangely vulnerable. What if I say something silly? What if we pray very differently? What if it turns into a sermon?
Those feelings are normal. Praying together doesn’t need to be long or polished to be meaningful. Jesus said: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.” (Matthew 18:20, WEB). Two is enough.
Why praying together matters
Praying together lets you see what’s on each other’s heart: the worries, hopes and thank-yous that don’t always come up over dinner. Ecclesiastes 4:12 has a well-loved image for this: “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (WEB). Many couples see in it a picture of two people with God at the center.
It’s also simply a way of carrying things together. When you hear your partner pray for something you’ve been worried about, you know you’re not carrying it alone.
Praying together doesn’t need to be long or polished to be meaningful.
6 gentle ways to start
1. Start with one minute. Agree to pray together for just sixty seconds. Short and regular beats long and rare.
2. Tie it to something you already do. Before dinner, before turning off the light, or in the car on Sunday morning.
3. Share first, then pray. Ask each other: “What can I pray for you about today?” Then pray for each other’s answer.
4. Take turns, one sentence each. One of you prays a sentence, then the other. It takes the pressure off both of you.
5. Pray silently together. Hold hands and pray in silence for a minute, then say “Amen” together. This is a gentle option if praying out loud feels like too much.
6. Read a psalm together. Read a short psalm such as Psalm 23 aloud, taking turns with each verse, and let it be your prayer.
A short prayer for couples
If you pray very differently
One of you may be comfortable praying out loud, the other may prefer silence. One may use formal prayers, the other everyday words. That’s okay. Try to make room for both styles rather than choosing one “right” way. Ephesians 4:2 describes a good spirit for it: “with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” (WEB).
If your partner isn’t ready to pray together, don’t push. You can pray for them on your own, and perhaps invite them again later in a low-pressure way.
Frequently asked questions
How do couples start praying together?
Start small: one minute, at a time you’re already together, such as before a meal or bed. Ask what you can pray for each other about, then pray simply.
What should couples pray about?
Thank God for each other and for the day, bring your worries and decisions, pray for your family and friends, and ask for patience, kindness and forgiveness in your relationship.
What if praying together feels awkward?
Most couples feel this at first. Taking turns with one sentence each, or praying silently while holding hands, can make it feel more natural.
How often should couples pray together?
There’s no rule. A short prayer most days, or even once a week, can become a meaningful rhythm. Choose what feels realistic for your life.
If you’d like a gentle way to open deeper conversations as a couple, including about faith, Cards for Couples is a printable set of 63 questions. Pick one card, then pray about what you heard.