The question we keep asking
12 Short Prayers for Hard Times (When You Don’t Know What to Say)
5 min read
On a hard day, a long prayer can feel like a mountain. The good news is that God doesn’t measure prayers by length. Jesus said, “In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7, WEB). A few honest words are enough.
Below are twelve short prayers you can use as they are or change into your own words. If you’d like a gentler, step-by-step look at praying when words won’t come, read What to Pray When You Don’t Have the Words.
Short prayers for worry and fear
When your mind won’t slow down: God, my thoughts are running in circles. Please quiet them. Help me hand this over to you, one piece at a time.
When you’re afraid of what’s coming: Lord, I’m scared about what might happen. Remind me that you are already there, in tomorrow, before I arrive.
Before a hard conversation or appointment: God, go with me into this. Give me calm, the right words and the courage to listen.
God doesn’t measure prayers by length.
Short prayers for tired and heavy days
When you’re exhausted: Jesus, you said to come to you when we’re tired and heavy. I’m coming. Please give me rest. (This one rests on Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.”)
When you feel you’re failing everyone: God, I can’t do everything today. Show me the one thing that matters most, and help me let the rest wait.
When you just need to get through the day: Lord, give me enough strength for the next hour. Then the next one.
Short prayers for grief and loneliness
When you miss someone: God, I miss them so much. Hold what I can’t hold, and stay close to me in this empty place.
When you feel alone: Lord, I feel alone tonight. Please let me sense that you are with me, and send me someone who cares.
When your heart is broken: God, it hurts. You are near to the brokenhearted. Be near to me. (From Psalm 34:18: “Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.”)
Short prayers for waiting and hope
When the answer isn’t coming: God, I’m still waiting. I don’t understand the delay. Help me trust you while I wait.
When you need a small sign of hope: Lord, open my eyes to one good thing today, however small.
At the end of the day: Thank you for carrying me through today, even the parts I didn’t notice. I give you what I couldn’t finish. Amen.
How to use these prayers
You don’t need a special place or time. You can pray them while driving, washing dishes or lying awake. Some people write one on a sticky note and keep it near the sink or on their phone’s lock screen. Others pick one prayer for the week and repeat it each morning until it becomes their own.
If none of these fits, take the shortest one you can think of: “Help.” It’s one of the most honest prayers there is.
Frequently asked questions
Does a short prayer count as a real prayer?
Yes. Jesus warned against thinking we are heard because of many words (Matthew 6:7). Many prayers in the Bible are only a sentence long.
What is the shortest prayer I can pray?
“Help me” or “Be with me” are complete prayers. You can also simply say the name of Jesus or “Lord, have mercy.”
Can I pray the same short prayer every day?
Yes. Repeating a simple prayer can become a steady anchor, as long as you mean it. Change the words whenever you want.
Is it okay to read prayers someone else wrote?
Absolutely. People of faith have prayed with written prayers for centuries, including the Psalms themselves. Borrowed words can carry you until your own come back.
If nights are the hardest time for you, 10 Prayers for Nights You Don’t Know What to Say offers ten gentle prayers, each with a verse, a short reflection and one small practice for tonight.