7 Simple Steps to Build a Weekly Family Prayer Routine
These days, everyone is going 100 miles per hour in 10 different directions, which makes creating and maintaining a regular family prayer time extremely challenging. The key word here is “family.” A weekly family prayer routine includes every immediate family member, creates closeness among family members, and stabilizes a foundation of faith in the home. To be sustainable, the process needs to be simple. Here are 7 steps to help you get started:
1. Select a Time
Working together to agree on a regular time for family prayer assures consistency. Whether it’s Sunday evening before the start of a new week, a Friday night to close out the week, or midweek to recenter hearts intentionally, settle on a time that works best for your family’s overall rhythms. Once set, keep the agreed upon time so everyone can plan accordingly.
2. Select a Place
Choose a designated spot in your home for prayer. It could be the dining table, the living room, or even a cozy corner with pillows and a candle. Again, sustainability is key. In addition to a common meeting space, this spot will remind everyone about prayer’s importance throughout the week.
3. Begin with Scripture
Ground your prayer time in God’s Word. Choose a short passage or a verse to reflect on together. The Psalms are the perfect place to start. A quick Google search will reveal specific Psalms that best fit your family on any given week. The grounding scripture can be tied to a theme for the week, such as gratitude, trust, or God’s faithfulness. Allow each family member to share thoughts or insights on the Scripture, such as words or sentences that resonate with them most.
4. Sing or Listen to Worship Music
Music is a powerful way to center our hearts on God. Singing or playing a simple worship song or reflective hymn can set the tone for prayer and encourage a posture of reverence and gratitude.
5. Encourage Participation
Give everyone a role in the prayer time. One person can read Scripture, another can lead a short devotional thought, and others can write down specific needs and/or praises in a family prayer journal. Anyone who would like to pray aloud should be allowed to do so. Even young children can participate by thanking God for something in their day or reciting a simple prayer.
6. Pray with Purpose
To stay on track, we recommend using the ACTS acronym:
Adoration: Praising God for who He is.
Confession: Acknowledging sins and seeking forgiveness.
Thanksgiving: Expressing gratitude for blessings.
Supplication: Lifting personal and family needs.
Again, consider incorporating a family prayer journal where family members can write down prayer requests and record answered prayers as a testimony of God’s faithfulness.
7. Stay Flexible and Filled with Grace
Not every week will go perfectly, and that’s okay! The goal isn’t perfection but consistency. If a prayer time is missed or doesn’t go as planned, give yourselves grace and try again next week. The motive behind the practice is what matters most.
Conclusion
By creating and maintaining a weekly prayer routine, your family will cultivate a habit of seeking God together. Over time, this simple practice will strengthen your family’s faith, deepen your relationships with one another, and remind you that God is at the center of it all.
Would you like help developing a prayer guide or printable for your family? Send us an email (simplifyprojectco@gmail.com), and we will gladly send you one!