Wondering how to pray to God? Prayer is simply opening your heart to His divine love. Whether you feel unworthy, distracted, or entirely unsure where to begin, God welcomes a humble soul with open arms. To break through the noise of this chaotic world, we have gathered centuries-old Christian meditation steps right here. You can read our structured guides on your phone or go completely offline. Download our printable prayer book PDFs, switch your device to airplane mode, and find deep, lasting peace in the real presence of Our Lord. He is waiting to speak directly to your heart.
Discover how to open your heart, enter into the presence of God, and master the ancient steps of meditative prayer using print-ready companion PDFs and silent mobile guides.
Preparing Your Heart for Distraction-Free Prayer
The soul that is able to open it’s heart will receive graces from Him no matter their state in life. You can pray effectively, even if you’ve never prayed before, or feel unworthy, or have no idea how to communicate properly with God. The Lord will show mercy on a humble soul that cries out to Him. Pray to God with honesty and humility.
God is love and His desire is for you to know and love Him. Pray to Him for you to follow the path He has laid out for you.
Entering Into His Presence Exactly As You Are
When you don’t know God, and cannot feel His presence, it is hard to trust Him, to open your heart, and to give yourself the chance to take that risk. Often times the soul most in need of God’s mercy and presence is the one which offers Him the most resistance.
To open your heart requires a vulnerability. If you have doubts about how to pray in the chapel, then pray and ask God to give you the gift of faith. If you think God is not real, this can be an obstacle to receiving His grace. Just pray and ask Him to help you overcome it. If you struggle with believing that He not a personal God, and does not care about or walk with you in your day to day moments, ask Him to help you overcome it. If you feel He does not love you, or that you are unworthy of being loved, ask Him to help you overcome this, too. I promise you, that He is real and very much with you in this present moment. In time, once He has blessed you and shown you His love and mercy, you will come to know how to pray in the chapel because the Holy Spirit will guide you.
The Power of God’s Divine Name
God is love and He has revealed to us in the holy scriptures that His name is “I Am” which means He is present to you in this very moment. He is with you as you read these words and the breath of His Holy Spirit is available to you when you enter into prayer with a contrite heart.
Moses said to God, 'Who am I to go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?'
'I shall be with you,' God said, 'and this is the sign by which you will know that I was the one who sent you. After you have led the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.'
Moses then said to God, 'Look, if I go to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your ancestors has sent me to you," and they say to me, "What is his name?" What am I to tell them?'
God said to Moses, 'I am he who is.' And he said, 'This is what you are to say to the Israelites, "I am has sent me to you." ' God further said to Moses, 'You are to tell the Israelites, "Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you." This is my name for all time, and thus I am to be invoked for all generations to come."
Tending to the Lord in Daily Life
Jesus wants us to tend to Him. This means we are to pay attention to Him, we consider Him in our daily life. He remains foremost in our minds. Jesus is everywhere you go, in every aspect of your life. If you open your heart to Him and follow Him, you will begin to realize that Jesus is in all things. You can find Him present to you in this moment. Why don’t you seek Him when you are struggling to solve a problem or are in need? If you seek Jesus, He will come to you.
Pray this right now:
“Jesus, open my heart to know your divine will for me right now in this moment. Speak to my heart so that I can live in spirit with You. Thank you Jesus, Amen.”
"In all truth I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."
The Jews said, 'Now we know that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death." Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?'
Jesus answered: 'If I were to seek my own glory my glory would be worth nothing; in fact, my glory is conferred by the Father, by the one of whom you say, 'He is our God,' although you do not know him. But I know him, and if I were to say, 'I do not know him,' I should be a liar, as you yourselves are. But I do know him, and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see my Day; he saw it and was glad.'
The Jews then said, 'You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!'
Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, before Abraham ever was, I Am.
How to Pray Using the Holy Scriptures
Reading scripture is a wonderful way to begin opening your mind and heart to pray. Often times the Holy Spirit will begin to speak to your heart while you are reading the Holy Scriptures. The words will seem to come alive in your heart and you will receive grace as you read. You may be convicted of a sin, or filled with peace or consolation in a trial you are suffering. You may be inspired to proceed on a path you have begun. These things have all be experienced by those who pray the scriptures.
If you wish to be guided by the Lord in how to pray by reading the Holy Scriptures and what to read right now, remember that He is “I Am” and present to you in this very moment. Just ask Him to help you understand what He wishes you to know and read. Ask Him to send the Holy Spirit to help you, to enlighten your mind and feed your soul with the knowledge He wishes you to learn while in prayer. If your heart or mind begins to feel nudged to open a particular book, chapter, or verse, trust in this instinct and begin the journey of praying the scripture with the Lord.
The Best Disposition for Prayer
Prayer is really a four part process. In Christianity we know that our faith is a gift made possible through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The world is a terrible place full of war and suffering, selfishness, pride, greed, avarice, and fornication.
Many of us have tried to find peace and happiness through the things of this world. You may be one of them. You may have had addictions to substances, or have worked hard to advance your career, or have placed all your self worth in something that has failed you. And now you are filled with an emptiness that you can’t fill. You are not alone.
We are all sinners and have very wicked natures without the love of God. Through our baptism we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a beautiful gift that Jesus gives us. To pray most effectively, begin by adoring God. If you’ve never prayed before or have never established a relationship with God, this can seem quite impossible. But you will come to know Him over time. You will become familiar with His voice, and His beautiful nature. Then praying to Him and loving Him become quite natural for you.
But what is a soul to do that has no knowledge of God, no experience with Him? No relationship?
If God is a stranger to you, please do not be afraid to begin. There is a long history of very holy people in the tradition of the church who have had lifetimes of prayer and have written many beautiful prayers that will help you to pray as you ought. Begin with taking time to adore Him. Then contemplate your sinfulness and pray prayers of repentance. then give Him thanksgiving and praise, and ask for protection from evil. When you leave, kneel and say goodbye from your heart, genuflect, and bow before you exit the room.
What is Meditative Prayer? Learn about Lectio Divina
Many people think that meditation is an extremely difficult thing to do. It is really not so difficult when you learn how to do it. It doesn’t matter how pious you are, or whether you are in a sinful state or feel spiritually weak. You can use these centuries old prayer methods and when you do, you will find yourself growing in love for God and also increasing in virtue as well.
Most historians believe Saint Benedict of Nursia was the first teacher of Lectio Divina. Saint Benedict wrote that divine reading was important in his book, Rule of St. Benedict. He instructed followers to live a life devoted to prayer and work (Ora et Labora). This is a contemplative form of prayer that helps us to listen to what God has to say. We read Holy Scripture, we meditate on what it is saying to us, then we pray and contemplate what God is trying to say to us through His Word.
The 7 Steps of Mental Prayer for Beginners
These are the steps that help you learn to love God and go deeper into a loving relationship with Him. You do not need to follow all of these steps every time you enter into prayer, and you do not need to follow these steps in any particular order. Learn how to enter into His loving presence by opening your heart to Him through these beautiful practices. When you are able to be present to God as He is present to you, your spiritual life will be greatly enriched.
Going Deeper with the Daily Readings
The 7 Steps of Mental Prayer
Step 1: Statio
The first step is called Statio which involves slowing down, pausing to become aware of the Lord’s presence, asking for the help of the Holy Ghost. It’s the conscious effort to make a holy pause to listen for the breath of God to speak to us. In Statio we pause everything we are doing and turn toward the living presence of God and simply become aware of His presence. We pray the prayers to Jesus, the Eternal Father, and the Holy Spirit before we enter into our meditation. When we ask for the help of the Holy Spirit we do so by confessing that we know we are not worthy to appear before God and that we are thankful for the grace of His presence to us.
Step 2: Lectio
The second step is called Lectio. In this step we exercise our minds. We take time to prayerfully pour over a biblical text. We read it and re-read it, ruminating on it, listening for God’s voice in the midst of our study.
Step 3: Meditatio
The third step is called Meditatio. In this step you pause in a meaningful way over a passage or two that speaks to you. As you quietly listen while in the presence of God, you begin to hear what He is calling attention to. When you prayerfully read with an open heart and with patience, you become able to listen to what God is saying to you in your own life. The divine action of God often takes place in this hidden way. Sometimes you are not even aware of it in the moment.
Step 4: Oratio
The fourth step is called Oratio. In this step we dialogue with God, by asking Him questions and listening for His response to them. While prayerfully reading scripture, there are many kinds of questions you may want to ask the Lord. You may ask Him how He wants you to respond in a situation, or ways you could please Him more in your daily life.
Step 5: Contemplatio
The fifth step is called Contemplatio. This is the time of receiving a divine hug from God. You simply stop all reading, working through meaning, and and dialoging with God. In Contemplatio you just look and Him and He looks at you and you rest in the embrace of His loving presence. This is the moment of adoration. You usually enter into this phase in an imperceptibly natural way. This is because your prayer up until this point has worked your soul up to the point of receiving the grace. In the moment of pure adoration you are opening your heart to God and He is forming you to have the mind of Christ. You are receiving so much grace that you physically FEEL the tangible peace of His presence and it surrounds you, filling your heart and mind with great joy. This moment does not come from your own action or doing, it comes because you have disposed yourself properly to RECEIVE the grace God so freely wants to give.
Step 6: Actio
The sixth step is Actio. In Actio, we put our faith into action, making our lives a gift of charity for others. After asking God, what do you want me to do during Oratio, here in Actio we put what He reveals to us into obedient action.
Step 7: Gratias
The final step is Deo Gratias, or Thanking God. In this step you show tremendous gratitude to God for His amazing grace, for the beautiful gift of His presence, and for the love He gives you while in meditative prayer and throughout the day. This thankfulness is a step that can be carried out continually throughout the day, even several hours after you have had your holy hour of prayer. When you find yourself recalling that wonderful moment of awe, thank Him again. When you are again moved by His response to you in adoration, repeat again your gratitude for His loving presence in your life.
