Have you ever found yourself in a place where you wanted to pray but you simply didn’t know what to pray?  Maybe you are walking through a difficult season of life.  Maybe it has been a while since you have prayed.  Maybe praying to God is new to you and you are not sure where to start.  Regardless of the reason, any person of faith has exprienced these moments or days or months or seasons.

John 17 records one of the prayers of Jesus.  It is often times referred to as the “High Priestly Prayer.”  It is a powerful prayer that Jesus prays for His disciples.  From His prayer, we find some practical insights for what to pray when we don’t know what to pray.

Pray for God to be glorified in your life. 
The first prayer of Jesus in John 17:1 is that God may be glorfied.  “After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.'” (John 17:1)

What glorifies God in our lives?  Take a moment and read John 17:3-5.  And pray for God to be glorfied in your life.

Update God on everything. 
It is important to note that Jesus only makes 5 requests in this entire 26 verse prayer in John 16:1-26.  Everything else Jesus models is just talking to God the Father.  It’s as if Jesus is just updating the Father on things He already knows but wants to hear.  Tell God everything.  In the same way you would a brand new friend, keep Him up to speed on your life.  Even though He already knows He wants to hear.

Pray for His protection. 
Protection from what? “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)

Pray for His holiness to be reflected in our lives.
In John 17:17, Jesus most translations read, “Sanctify them by the truth, for your word is truth.” 

When you don’t know what to pray, pray that you would live a holy life.  And dedicate yourself to serving Him. 

Pray for unity. 
Jesus provide a picture of unity (John 17:22-23).  
Pray for unity in your marriage, family, workplace, neighborhood, church family, and any other group you are a part of in your life.  The Bible shares in multiple places that true unity comes from God.

Pray for people to trust Jesus. 
Jesus wants a relationship with every person He created.  That’s everyone! (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Tim 2:4).  We must pray for people to go to heaven by trusting Jesus Christ as their Savior and following Him.

Pray to grow more in love with Jesus. 
Pray John 17:26 frequently!  “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Growing more in love with Jesus and being passionate for Him is not passive. It must be the focus of our lives.  The Hebrew writer says Hebrews 12:2, “fix our eyes on Jesus…”   Find yourself becoming more and more like Him and walking in the reality that you need Him every moment of every day.

I hope these few ideas will help you in those moments and days and seasons when you don’t know what to pray.  One other idea not in John 17 is to find someone else and ask them to pray with you. 

You might be surprised to know you aren’t the only one struggling with what to pray.  What have you found helpful when you don’t know what to pray?  Share in the comments section to encourage others!