Grounded and Watchful: Three Biblical Prayer Practices for Every Day
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”—Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
Throughout this series, our goal has been to learn how to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17). This command is consistent with the fact that we are dependent people. We need God for everything: particularly for daily bread, forgiveness, and protection.
But if I’m honest, I need some help and variety. I desire prayer rhythms that I can space throughout my day, to remind me to connect with God continuously.
So before we wrap up this series, I thought this post would be a great way to explore three different historic prayer practices that keep our hearts watchful, rooted in the Word and dependent on the Spirit. Unfortunately, they can also be misunderstood, but I hope that by understanding their biblical underpinnings, they will help shape our affections, keep us spiritually alert, and strengthen our dependence on Christ.
1. Begin the Day with a Morning Collect
A "collect" is a short, structured prayer that gathers (or "collects") our thoughts and affections into focused worship and petition. It typically includes adoration of God, acknowledgment of our need, a specific request, and a closing that reminds us of our hope in Christ. Writing collects can help train our minds to pray with theological clarity, emotional honesty, and Christ-centered focus.
The Psalms repeatedly commend morning prayer as a way to orient our hearts (Psalm 5:3; Psalm 90:14). Jesus Himself rose early to pray (Mark 1:35). A well-crafted collect grounds us in the truth of God’s character and our identity in Christ, directing our will toward obedience and our hearts toward worship, right from the start of the day.
Rather than a ritual, a collect becomes a tool to fix our minds on the Lord as we integrate Scripture with our prayers. It forms our affections and dedicates the day to God’s purposes. We might write our own or use one adapted from a Psalm, a passage from the Gospels, or the epistles.
How to do this: Start by choosing a verse from your Bible reading as the basis of your collect. The traditional structure of a collect develops as we:
Address God and His character
Acknowledge human frailty or sin
Request God’s help or presence
Conclude with confidence in Christ
Here’s an example: O Lord, our faithful and sovereign God, who gives new mercies every morning (address/character), grant me grace this day to walk in Your ways. I am weak and forgetful (frailty); strengthen me by Your Spirit. Help me to love as Christ loved and to serve with joy (request). For Your glory (confidence), Amen.
2. Midday Breath Prayers: Rooted Reminders in the Fray
As our day gets busy, I know I’m prone to wander. By the middle of the day, I need some time to recall myself back to the Lord. Breath prayers are short, simple prayers often rooted in Scripture, prayed quietly in rhythm with our breathing. These are not mystical mantras, but momentary reminders to recalibrate and anchor our hearts in God.
Breath prayers are modeled on Scriptures like the publican’s humble cry: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13), and the repeated pleas of the Psalms (e.g., "Help me, O Lord"). These remind us that quick, heartfelt prayers for God’s help and aid throughout the day are valid and valuable.
Rather than empty repetition or emotionalism, breath prayers based on Scripture become small petitions that reorient us to truth, especially in the midst of stressful meetings, parenting moments, or tempting situations.
For example:
"Lord, have mercy."
"You are my Shepherd. I lack nothing."
"Christ in me, the hope of glory."
"Not my will, but Yours be done."
This form of prayer can be shaped by what you are meditating or memorizing in this season of your life. These midday expressions of dependence shape our inner life and remind us to respond to God throughout the day. It’s also a great way to recall the Word you studied earlier in the day and apply it, especially in moments of stress, temptation, or decision.
3. End the Day with Examen: Reflection and Surrender
The prayer of examen is an intentional time to review the day in God’s presence, with gratitude, confession, and hope. Psalm 139:23-24 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart..." Lamentations 3:40 urges, "Let us examine our ways and return to the Lord." Paul also reminds us to keep a clear conscience (2 Corinthians 13:5; Acts 24:16).
Slowing down at the end of the day to process and examine our hearts with the help of the Spirit allows us to reflect on His goodness, acknowledge where we need forgiveness, and entrust the day to God. This is not navel-gazing but a time to sit with our Father and ask Him to teach us to grow in the ways of grace (Titus 2:11-12). It forms humility and gratitude, renewing our desire for godliness.
Suggested Pattern:
Ask God to help you see clearly. Psalm 139:23-24 helps set our intention for this practice.
Give thanks for specific gifts of the day (1 Thess. 5:18). Where did I see His grace today? (James 1:17)
Reflect: Where did I see God at work? When were you aware of His presence (Ps. 16:8)? When were you unaware of His presence?
Confess what needs confessing (1 John 1:9). Where did I respond in the flesh?
Let your reflections help you shape the next day’s plans. What truth will I carry into tomorrow?
Close your time in prayer, using Rom. 12:1-2 to recommit yourself to the Lord as a living sacrifice, while leaving the day into His hands.
“Father, thank You for the ways You were present today. I rejoice in Your kindness through ______________. Forgive me for ______________ and renew me by Your Spirit. Grant peaceful rest and prepare my heart to serve You anew tomorrow. Amen.”
Take 10 minutes at night and record your examen in a journal, if you wish. It is a wonderful way to see how the Lord is actively at work in your life day by day.
Let’s Pray: Developing a Daily Prayer Rhythm
Put together, these three simple practices can help form some moments in the day so that we can intentionally pray continuously:
Morning Collect: Begin with intentional worship and surrender
Midday Breath Prayer: Reconnect with God in the chaos
Evening Examen: Reflect, repent, and rest in grace
None of these are required. But each, rightly anchored in the Word and shaped by the Spirit, can help us obey the call to "pray without ceasing."
