When You Don’t Know What to Pray
O Thou That Hearest Prayer,
Teach me to pray.
I confess that in religious exercises
the language of my lips and the feelings
of my heart have not always agreed,
that I have frequently taken carelessly upon my tongue a name never pronounced above without reverence and humility,
that I have often desired things which would have injured me,
that I have depreciated some of my chief mercies,
that I have erred both on the side of my hopes and also of my fears,
that I am unfit to choose for myself,
for it is not in me to direct my steps.
Let thy Spirit help my infirmities,
For I know not what to pray for as I ought.
—Valley of Vision
This honest prayer from The Valley of Vision captures what many of us feel but struggle to say—we often don’t know how to pray, or even what to pray for. Our words and hearts don’t always line up. We’ve asked for things that wouldn’t have been good for us. We’ve overlooked some of God’s greatest mercies. And in both our fears and our hopes, we’ve misjudged what we truly need. Especially in seasons of pain, addiction, or mental illness, it can feel impossible to find the right words or know how to come before God.
But the good news is that prayer isn’t about getting the words just right—it’s about showing up honestly. This prayer admits: “I am unfit to choose for myself… I know not what to pray for as I ought.” And that’s where healing begins—with humility and surrender. When we bring our confusion, weakness, or even silence to God, His Spirit meets us there, helping us in our infirmities. So today, if you don’t know what to say, that’s okay. Just come honestly—and ask the One who hears prayer to teach you how to begin. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics