thus far

Prayer journal prompts

18 prayer journal prompts for waiting, gratitude and remembering.

When you’re unsure what to write, start with one honest question. These Christian prayer journal prompts give you space to bring what’s on your mind to God.

Use them in a notebook or your journal app. You can read and use every prompt here without an account.

How to use a prayer journal prompt

Choose the question that fits today and write the date. Answer in your own words, then turn what you’ve written into a prayer. A sentence is enough if that’s what you have.

Leave room for a later update. You might notice a change, want to give thanks, or still be waiting. You don’t need to find a lesson or a happy ending before writing again.

01 / Waiting

Prayer journal prompts for uncertain days

You can write about what feels unresolved. Choose a question you can answer honestly today.

  1. What am I waiting for, and what is hardest about not knowing yet?
  2. What do I want to ask God for today, without editing how I feel?
  3. Which part of this situation am I trying to control? What could I entrust to God?
  4. Who could I ask for help or prayer this week? What would I like them to understand?
  5. Is there a passage of Scripture I want to sit with? What question would I bring to it?
  6. What is one small step I can take today while the larger question remains open?

02 / Gratitude

Prompts for noticing help and giving thanks

Begin with something specific. Gratitude can sit alongside disappointment or a difficult day.

  1. What small moment today would I like to thank God for?
  2. Who showed me kindness recently? What did they do, and why did it matter?
  3. What ordinary part of my life have I been taking for granted?
  4. When did I feel supported this week, even if the problem itself didn’t change?
  5. What prayer or hope has unfolded differently than I expected? What am I grateful for, and what still hurts?
  6. How could I express my thanks to someone who helped me?

03 / Remembering

Prompts for returning to an earlier prayer

Read an old entry before you start. If you’re writing from memory, say so; you don’t have to remember every detail.

  1. What was I asking for when I wrote this prayer? How did that season feel?
  2. What has happened since then? Which details do I want to keep?
  3. Where do I now see help I didn’t recognize at the time?
  4. What remains unanswered, and how would I pray about it today?
  5. Has my understanding of this experience changed? What would I add beside my original words?
  6. What from this memory could encourage me through the situation I’m facing now?

A fictional example

One prayer, with room for an update

This made-up entry shows how a journal can hold both uncertainty and a later reflection.

Monday · The prayer

God, I’m waiting to hear about the job and checking my inbox too often. I’m afraid of another no. Please help me get through today and be honest with someone about how worried I am.

The following week · An update

I still haven’t heard. I told a friend how I was feeling, and we went for a walk. That conversation helped me feel less alone. God, thank you for her time. I’m still asking for direction.

The update leaves the original prayer intact. You can return again later, whether circumstances change or you simply have more to say.

Keep writing in Thus Far

Keep your prayer and what happened next together.

In Thus Far, save your prayer as a memory. Open it later and choose Add an update. Return to read your original words and what changed together.

Writing and revisiting memories are free. You can write offline without an account. Optional Plus adds cloud-assisted searches and transcription; see the app for current plans.

Download on the App Store See how Thus Far works
Thus Far memory with Back then, What changed, and an Add an update button
App screenshot with a sample entry.