How to get your prayer life back: a first prayer and a 14-day restart
To get your prayer life back, don't try to make up for lost time. Pray one honest, short prayer today telling God you've drifted and want to come back, then pray for five minutes at the same time each day for two weeks, with a Psalm open in front of you. God isn't waiting for you to earn your way back. Like the father in Jesus' story, he runs to meet you (Luke 15:20).
Below: why prayer lives fade, what to do with the guilt, a prayer to pray right now, a 14-day plan to restart, how to come back after grief, burnout or doubt, and what to do if you slip again.
First: you haven't lost God
When prayer fades, it's easy to think the relationship is gone, or that God is disappointed and keeping his distance. The Bible says the opposite. "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8, WEB). The way back is not a long road of proving yourself. It's turning around.
In the parable of the lost son, the son rehearses a speech about being unworthy. He doesn't get to finish it: "while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20, WEB). That's the welcome waiting for you on the first day you pray again, however long it's been.
Your prayer life is a habit, and habits break. Your standing with God rests on Jesus, not on your streak. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1, WEB).
Why did my prayer life fade?
Knowing why helps you choose the right way back. Most lapses come from one or two of these:
| What happened | What it feels like | The way back |
|---|---|---|
| Busyness: a new job, a baby, caring for a parent | "I just never get to it." | A tiny set time tied to something you already do (5 minutes after coffee) |
| Routine broke: a move, a holiday, illness | "I was doing fine, then it stopped." | Rebuild the time and place first; content second |
| Prayer got stale | "Same words, nothing happens." | Pray Scripture; change the place or posture |
| Disappointment: an unanswered prayer | "What's the point?" | Lament: tell God the disappointment directly |
| Grief or a crisis | "I can't find any words." | Borrowed words (Psalms, written prayers), others praying for you |
| Guilt or a sin you're avoiding | "I can't face God." | Confession first, then receive forgiveness |
| Exhaustion or burnout | "I fall asleep when I try." | Rest, a morning slot, prayer on a walk |
| Doubt | "I'm not sure anyone is listening." | Honest prayer about the doubt; talk to a pastor or mature friend |
What to do with the guilt
Guilt about not praying is one of the main things that keeps people from praying. It goes in a circle: you feel bad you haven't prayed, so you avoid God, so you don't pray. Break it on purpose:
- Say it once. "Lord, I've drifted. I've let other things crowd you out." That's confession. You don't need to repeat it every day.
- Receive the promise. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9, WEB). Thank him for it.
- Don't do penance. Don't punish yourself with an hour of prayer you can't keep. That sets you up to fail again, and it treats grace as a debt.
- Start where you are. Five minutes is not a lesser prayer. It's the right size for coming back.
"His mercies don't fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23, WEB). Tomorrow's mercy doesn't depend on yesterday's prayer time.
A prayer to pray right now
Read it slowly. Change any line that isn't true for you.
"Father, it's been a while. I'm not sure how to start, so I'll just be honest. I've drifted. Life got loud, and I let prayer go. Some of it was busyness, some of it was that I didn't want to face you, and some of it I don't understand.
Thank you that you haven't drifted from me. Thank you that you run to meet people who come back. Forgive me for living as if I didn't need you.
I want to come back. I don't want to make big promises I'll break. Help me show up tomorrow, just for a few minutes, and the day after. Give me a hunger for you that I can't give myself.
Here's what's on my heart today: (name one or two things). I give them to you.
In Jesus' name, amen."
That's it for today. You've started.
A 14-day plan to get your prayer life back
Five minutes a day for the first week, ten for the second. Same time every day if you can. Keep a Bible and a pen with you.
| Day | Minutes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Pray the prayer above. Pick your time and place for the next 13 days. |
| 2 | 5 | Read Psalm 23. Pray it line by line in your own words. |
| 3 | 5 | Write 5 things you're thankful for from the last week. Thank God for each. |
| 4 | 5 | Pray the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) slowly, adding a sentence of your own after each line. |
| 5 | 5 | Read Psalm 139:1-12. Thank God that he knew you through the whole gap. |
| 6 | 5 | Write 3 people's names. Pray one specific thing for each. |
| 7 | 5 | Read Psalm 42. Tell God honestly how this first week has felt. |
| 8 | 10 | Read Psalm 103:1-14. Spend 5 minutes on praise only; then ask for what you need. |
| 9 | 10 | Pray Psalm 51:10-12. Name anything you need to confess, and receive forgiveness. |
| 10 | 10 | Take a prayer walk. Pray for each house, school or workplace you pass. |
| 11 | 10 | Read Philippians 4:4-9. Bring every worry on your mind to God, one by one, with thanks. |
| 12 | 10 | Pray Ephesians 3:14-21 for someone you love, using their name. |
| 13 | 10 | Read Psalm 46. Two minutes of silence. Write down anything that came to mind. |
| 14 | 10 | Read back your notes. Thank God for the two weeks. Choose your time for next week and tell one person. |
After day 14, keep the time and the ten minutes. Use a simple order (praise, thanks, confession, requests) like the ACTS prayer model, and see our guide to a consistent prayer life for the next six weeks.
Practical things that make it easier to restart
- Tie prayer to an anchor. After the first coffee, after dropping the kids off, when you park at work. An existing habit carries the new one.
- Set it up the night before. Bible open on the table, pen on top, phone charging in another room.
- Change the place. If your old prayer chair feels heavy with failure, use a different one, or the car, or a walk.
- Use written prayers on hard days. The Psalms, a prayer book, or a guided prayer. Borrowed words are still your prayer when you mean them.
- Write. A short line in a notebook each day keeps your mind from drifting and shows you progress. Our prayer journal prompts give you a starting point.
- Tell one person. A friend, spouse or small group leader who'll ask "How's prayer going?" once a week.
- Lower the bar for a bad day. On a day you can't do ten minutes, pray the Lord's Prayer once. That counts. Keep the chain going.
Coming back to prayer after a hard season
After grief or loss
Grief often silences prayer, especially if you prayed for the person who died. The Bible gives you permission to bring that straight to God. Psalm 88 ends in darkness and is still in the Bible. Jesus wept at his friend's grave (John 11:35). Start by telling God what you miss and what you don't understand. Let others pray for you when you can't; that's part of what the church is for (Galatians 6:2).
After burnout or exhaustion
When Elijah collapsed and asked to die, God's first response was sleep and food: "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you" (1 Kings 19:7, WEB). Before you add a prayer routine to a life that's running on empty, look at your sleep and your load. Pray in the morning, when you have the most energy, and keep it short. Jesus' invitation is for exactly this: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, WEB).
After disappointment with God
If you stopped praying because a prayer wasn't answered, the honest thing is to pray about that. The Bible calls this lament. "How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever?" (Psalm 13:1, WEB). Lament isn't a lack of faith; it's faith that still talks to God when it's hurt. Our guide to prayer for strength during difficult times walks through it.
After doubt
Some people stop praying because they're not sure anyone is listening. You can pray that, too: the father in Mark 9:24 said, "I believe. Help my unbelief!" (WEB) and Jesus answered his request. Read one of the Gospels slowly alongside your prayer, and talk with a pastor or a Christian friend you trust. Doubt is easier to face with company.
When it's more than a dry season
If losing interest in prayer comes with losing interest in most things, poor sleep or appetite, or a sense of hopelessness that has lasted two weeks or more, please see a doctor as well as talking with your pastor. Depression is common, it's treatable, and getting help is not a failure of faith. If you're thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (US) now, or go to the nearest emergency room.
What if I fall off again?
You probably will at some point. Everyone does. What matters is how quickly you come back. Use a two-day rule: missing one day is normal; on the second day, pray even if it's only the Lord's Prayer once. If you lose a whole week, don't restart the 14-day plan from guilt. Just pick up the next day you were on.
Each return gets easier, because you learn that God is still there every time.
Common questions
How do I start praying again after a long time?
Pray one honest prayer today telling God you want to come back. Then pray five minutes at the same time daily for a week, with a Psalm open. Grow to ten minutes in week two. Don't try to make up lost time.
Is God angry that I stopped praying?
The Bible shows a Father who runs to meet those who return (Luke 15:20) and who is "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness" (Psalm 103:8, WEB). Confess the drift once, receive his forgiveness, and move on.
How long does it take to get my prayer life back?
Most people find a short daily time starts to feel normal within two to three weeks of keeping it. Depth takes longer and grows with Scripture and time. There's no deadline.
What if I don't feel anything when I pray?
Keep going. Feelings often follow faithfulness rather than lead it. Pray Scripture, write your prayers, and look back at what God has done. Our guide on how to pray better has ten practical changes for flat prayer.
Should I pray in the morning or at night?
Whichever time you can protect. Morning works well for many because the day hasn't taken over yet; if you're a night shift worker or a parent of a newborn, pick the quietest real gap you have.
Pray the prayer above today, then start the 14-day plan tomorrow. If you'd like a voice to pray with while you rebuild, our daily prayer reads a Psalm aloud and leads you through ten minutes each morning: play day 1 free, or answer a few questions to build your 40-day prayer plan. More in our prayer guides.
Sources
Scripture: World English Bible (public domain), eBible.org. Pages read for this guide: The Master's Seminary blog, "How to Revive Lifeless Prayer Time"; Crosswalk, "4 Ways to Reignite Your Prayer Life"; iBelieve, "3 Ways to Revive Your Prayer Life". Crisis line: 988lifeline.org.