Prayer is a powerful practice. It’s your direct line of communication with God, where you can express your deepest thoughts and feelings to your caring Heavenly Father. While it’s important to pray daily for others – your family, friends, community, and world – praying for yourself is equally important. You can only care for others well if your own needs are met well. Praying for yourself is vital to access what you need each day. Praying for yourself is not an act of selfishness but an act of faith that shows God you’re relying on him to provide all you need. Here are five prayers to pray for yourself every day.

As you read these prayers, keep in mind that the Bible encourages you to bring your personal requests and concerns before God. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages you to pray about everything in your life: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Jesus often prayed for strength and guidance in his moments of human need, and he included personal prayer in the Lord’s Prayer – the example of prayer Jesus gave as a model to follow. Part of the Lord’s Prayer – in both Matthew 6:11 and Luke 11:3 – relates to praying for your daily needs, as Jesus teaches you to ask God to give you daily bread.