The question of whether it is wrong to pray written prayers is an important one for Christians who want to have meaningful communication with God. The Bible does not explicitly prohibit or condemn using pre-written prayers, but it does offer some principles that can guide our approach to prayer. When evaluating written prayers, the key considerations are whether they promote mindless repetition, hinder intimacy with God, or fail to come from the heart. Used wisely, written prayers can be helpful tools that enhance our prayer life.
The purpose of prayer
In order to evaluate written prayers rightly, we must first understand the purpose of prayer. At its core, prayer is meant to be heartfelt communication with our Father in heaven. Through prayer, we build our relationship with God, bring our cares and requests to Him, align our will with His purposes, and worship Him (Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 6:9-13; 1 John 5:14). Written prayers can serve these purposes well if approached mindfully, but they become problematic when they hinder genuine, heartfelt communication.
Dangers of vain repetition
One of the potential downsides of written prayers is that they can sometimes become mere repetitions said without thought or heart intent. Jesus himself warned against vain repetitions in prayer: “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:7-8). The issue was not repetitive prayer itself, but praying without meaning and intent. Written prayers are not inherently vain repetitions, but they can become so if we disengage our hearts and minds and pray without purpose.
Intimacy can be hindered
A second danger of written prayers is that they can potentially hinder intimacy with God. Prayer is meant to be a dialogue between us and our Father, where we verbalize the desires and needs of our hearts to Him. While written prayers can express pre-composed thoughts, they may not make as much room for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our praying in the moment. They have their place, but should not completely replace spontaneous prayer that comes straight from the heart. As Paul writes, “pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer” (Ephesians 6:18).
Balance is key
Given the purpose of prayer and potential pitfalls, written prayers are neither categorically good nor bad. The Bible does not outright condemn using written prayers, if they are prayed meaningfully. In fact, many written prayers in the Psalms and other parts of the Bible can help us learn to pray. Fixed prayers like the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught also remind us of God’s purposes and priorities in prayer. Written prayers are valuable resources that can enhance our prayer life if used in balance.
A balanced approach means using written prayers selectively rather than exclusively. It likely involves:
- Praying written prayers mindfully rather than mechanically reciting them
- Making written prayers a starting point for extemporaneous praying from the heart
- Writing out certain prayers for frequent issues to pray through meaningfully
- Sometimes praying in the Spirit beyond what is written down
With this type of measured approach, written prayers can undergird a vibrant prayer life without stunting intimacy with God.
Evaluating specific written prayers
When evaluating specific written prayers, here are some factors to consider:
- Focus: Does this prayer represent Scriptural truth and engage the heart and mind toward God?
- Balance: Is this prayer used in healthy balance alongside spontaneous prayer?
- Meaning: When praying this, am I thoughtfully expressing its words to God?
- Source: Does this prayer come from a Biblically-solid source that points to God?
- Fruit: Does consistently praying this lead to spiritual fruit in my life?
Using these criteria can help determine if a particular written prayer aids or inhibits purposeful communication with God.
Tips for praying written prayers meaningfully
Here are some tips to pray written prayers with purpose:
- Preview and internalize the prayer before vocalizing it
- Pause at different points to meditate on specific phrases
- Use written prayers as springboards into extemporaneous prayer
- Apply the words of the prayer to your specific situation
- When your heart connects with certain words, linger and pray through them
With intention and practice, we can use written words to engage our hearts in prayer.
Examples of meaningful written prayers
Certain written prayers have been meaningful to generations of believers. Some examples include:
- The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
- Psalms in the Bible
- The Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”)
- The Serenity Prayer (“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”)
- Common doxologies (“Praise God from whom all blessings flow”)
These examples show how written prayers can facilitate God-centered communication when approached intentionally.
Written prayers in church history
The use of written prayers has precedent throughout church history. Some examples include:
- The Book of Common Prayer used in Anglican/Episcopal churches
- Luther’s Small Catechism with prayers for morning/evening
- John Calvin and others’ published Book of Prayers
- Ancient liturgies and prayer books used in Catholic/Orthodox traditions
- Methodist prayers in John Wesley’s prayer manual
While excessive reliance on rigid prayer books has been criticized at times, written prayers have served for centuries to teach believers to pray in tune with Scripture.
Biblical principles for prayer
Some key Biblical principles should guide our prayer life and use of written prayers:
- Pray in Jesus’ name (John 14:13)
- Pray according to God’s will (1 John 5:14)
- Pray from the heart, sincerely (Hebrews 10:22)
- Pray with reverence and awe for God (Hebrews 12:28)
- Pray persistently and boldly (Luke 18:1-8)
- Pray with gratitude and thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)
Evaluating written prayers based on these principles can help us use them to glorify God and build intimacy with Him.
Potential benefits of written prayers
Despite the risks, written prayers can enrich our devotional life in many ways. Benefits may include:
- Providing helpful prayer models to learn from
- Aiding memory and recall for frequent prayer needs
- Promoting variety by praying beyond our usual rut
- Exposing us to well-crafted, theologically solid prayers
- Helping focus the mind by providing thoughtful words
- Enabling group prayer and liturgy around common texts
With intentionality, these benefits can outweigh the risks of mindless routine.
When are written prayers appropriate?
Specific situations when written prayers can serve us well include:
- Corporate church prayer and liturgy
- Family devotional times, such as meal blessings
- Personal devotions, mixed with spontaneous prayer
- Prayer journals, writing out meaningful prayers
- Praying the Psalms as models for our own prayers
- Times when we are too overcome to pray our own words
Written prayers act as training wheels that support us in specific contexts as we learn to commune with God.
Written prayers for spiritual disciplines
Certain spiritual disciplines are enriched by incorporating written prayers:
- Meditation: Prayers like the Jesus Prayer use repeated phrases to focus our thoughts.
- Fasting: Written prayers like mealtime blessings keep our focus on God.
- Study: Written prayers help us respond to God’s Word.
- Worship: Liturgical prayers guide congregational worship.
- Journaling: Writing prayers helps crystallize and remember them.
As part of other disciplines, written prayers can propel us into deeper communion with God.
Tips for writing original prayers
Writing fresh prayers ourselves can also enrich our prayer life. Helpful tips include:
- Use Scripture phrases as a starting point or guide
- Follow Biblical prayer patterns like ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication)
- Write out persistent prayer requests for frequent use
- Maintain a prayer journal or list
- Vary your prayers using different prayer postures
- Write prayers together as a family or small group
Whether writing or using others’ written prayers, keeping them heartfelt is key.
Should all prayers be extemporaneous?
While sincere prayer straight from the heart is vital, written prayers can still be useful in the right context. Overemphasis on extemporaneous prayer has potential downsides:
- Puts pressure on those less comfortable praying aloud
- Makes prayer dependent on changeable emotions and spirits
- Neglects the wisdom and precedent of historic Christian prayers
- Can descend into me-centered “therapy session” prayer
- Often lacks depth and sound doctrine compared to written prayers
Thoughtfully incorporating written prayer guards against these potential pitfalls.
Should we pray the Psalms?
The Book of Psalms provides divinely-inspired prayers that teach us to pray. Reasons to pray the Psalms include:
- Jesus modeled praying the Psalms
- The Psalms teach us to pray God’s Word back to Him
- They contain prayers appropriate for every season and emotion
- The Psalms connect our personal prayer to corporate worship
- They root our prayers in sound theology
Praying the Psalms trains our hearts to communicate with God as we echo His inspired Word in prayer.
How to pray the Psalms meaningfully
Here are some tips for praying the Psalms impactfully:
- Treat each Psalm as a model prayer to adapt
- Personalize the Psalm by inserting your own name, situation, etc.
- Use Psalms as springboards into your own prayer
- Commit favorite Psalms to memory for meditation
- Select Psalms that connect to your current season of life
- Take time to reflect deeply on Psalm phrases that strike you
Praying the Psalms takes practice, but can lead to deeper intimacy with God.
Conclusion
In summary, the use of written prayers is an issue of balance and wisdom, not legalism. Fixed prayers can enrich times of corporate worship, provide helpful devotional guides, and aid our discipline in prayer. But they should be used thoughtfully, not become mindless repetitions that hinder a vibrant prayer life. With discernment, written prayers can assist believers in meaningful communication with their Father in heaven.