How to Make a Daily Prayer Routine for Your Busy College Life

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." - Psalm 145:18 ESV

Daily prayer routines are more than just a good habit; they can strengthen your ability to succeed both in and out of the classroom. If you are not intentionally learning to talk with God and discern God's voice, you will more easily falter in your academic and personal pursuits.

As a college student, it can be challenging to begin a daily prayer routine that fits into your schedule, but the commitment to daily communication with God is one that will lead to success.

The Importance of Developing a Prayer Routine

There are many reasons why daily prayer is essential, but communicating directly with God is the overarching goal that underlies its importance. For college students, building a daily prayer routine can strengthen both academic pursuits and relationships. Most importantly, learning to go deeper in prayer can help you tap into the wisdom of God as you make significant life decisions during these years as a college student. A regular prayer routine reorients you back into connection with God and reminds you of His consistent, active goodness in your life.

College Success and Prayer

College is a time of exploration, growth, and change. Navigating new schedules, relationships, and priorities can feel at once unsettling and exciting. Having daily prayer as a constant source of grounding and strength makes a big difference. College students can pray for a wide range of things:

• Gratitude that God has always provided everything you need
• Awareness of how to improve in extending the love of Jesus 
• Guidance on exams or course selection
• Successful interview for a job
• Faith that a hard time with a friend will pass
• Comfort when they're missing family back home
• Energy and drive when they want to build community with new neighbors
• And so much more

Prayer is the most powerful tool we have to support our pursuits as well as the loved ones in our lives.

Setting Prayer Routine Goals

Prayer routines for Christians are about deepening faith and commitment to God through times of joy and hardship. By choosing to pray every day, you acknowledge the role that God plays in directing your life and strengthening your spirit. Beyond these aspects, consider your personal goals for a daily prayer routine. Daily prayer is more than just saying words; it is about fully giving yourself a connection with God in those moments. To understand what this devotion looks like for you personally, ask these questions:

• What personal characteristics will I strengthen with daily prayer?
• What areas of personal sin do I need to pray about consistently?
• How will daily prayer help prepare me for class and other commitments?
• Who can I serve by staying steadfast in my daily prayer?
• When do I foresee needing the blessings of daily prayer the most?

By understanding your answers to these questions, you'll be able to craft a prayer routine that enriches your life to the fullest.

Beginning Your Daily Prayer Routine

A prayer routine can be very personal, so it's best to think about how you want to connect with the Lord. Many people begin the day with prayer to set an intentional tone. Beyond the time of day, answer these questions to help determine your direction:

• Do you want to use an app for daily prayer?
• How many times a day would you ideally pray?
• Do you prefer to pray alone or in a community?
• Do you enjoy combining Bible study with daily prayer or keeping them at separate times?
• How can you turn scripture into prayer?
• What obstacles do you see getting in the way of daily prayer?

Based on your responses, ask the Lord to give you guidance on an effective daily prayer routine and then write it down. Eventually, you'll have the routine committed to memory, but writing it down for a visual reminder is vital at the beginning.

Choosing Prayer Resources

A daily prayer routine can be very simple or more involved. If you expect that reminders and guidance will be helpful, don't shy away from using daily prayer apps to help you stay on track. Abide, Echo Prayer, and First5 are popular options. Similarly, joining a daily prayer community online can be a great way to add a layer of commitment to your devotional time.

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Integrating a daily prayer routine into a busy schedule can be difficult, so using tools to set yourself up for success is key. Put a reminder in your phone calendar, use sticky notes on the bathroom mirror, or place your Bible on your pillow to remind yourself to pray in the evening. Combine praying with something else that is life-giving to you. For example, if you enjoy a cup of coffee every morning and you love being in nature, bundle these habits together by brewing your coffee and then heading outdoors to enjoy a relaxing time with God. Experiment with different tools until you find one that works.

You may find that immediately jumping into a long list of requests of what you think God should do only makes you feel more anxious. Articulating your gratitude for specific blessings and spending just a few minutes a day simply enjoying God's delight in you is a helpful starting point. Settling it in your heart that God is committed to taking care of you will put you in a posture of trust as you proceed to confession and requests.

Adjusting Your Prayer Routine

After you've tried your prayer routine for two weeks, assess whether it's something that you can continue for the rest of the year. Ask yourself these questions:

• How often do I skip or forget to pray?
• Am I usually rushed or calm during my daily prayer?
• Do I look forward to prayer time? Do I find that I am praying more often throughout the day?
• If I could change one thing about my prayer routine, what would it be?
• Am I noticing more peace and openness to God's direction as a result of this routine?
• Am I treating others with more kindness and gentleness as a result of my time with God?

Based on your honest responses to these questions, adjust your prayer routine as necessary. If you've missed daily prayer several times, what's the reason? Perhaps moving to a different time of day or location can make a difference. Allow yourself some grace as you find a way to incorporate communion with the Lord into your new college schedule. Dedication and desire are more important in God's eyes than perfection.