How to start praying again after a long break
A gentle Catholic way to return to prayer without pretending the gap did not happen or trying to rebuild everything in one day.
The short answer
To start praying again, begin today with one honest sentence to God, then choose a small practice you can repeat: an Our Father, a few Gospel verses, or five quiet minutes. Do not wait until you feel worthy or spiritually motivated. Return to Sunday Mass, and if serious sin is keeping you away, ask a priest about Confession. The goal is renewed relationship with God, not a perfect streak.
Maybe prayer faded slowly. A difficult season disrupted every habit, embarrassment kept you away, or you simply stopped and do not know how to return. The longer the gap becomes, the more dramatic the restart can feel.
It does not have to be dramatic. You can begin now with the truth: “God, I have been away from prayer, and I want to begin again.” That is already prayer.
Can you simply start praying again?
Yes. You do not need to feel spiritually prepared before turning toward God. In Luke 15, Jesus describes the father seeing his returning son while he is still far away and going out to meet him. The parable does not erase repentance or responsibility; it reveals that return happens within the initiative of mercy.
If you stopped because of deliberate sin, name that honestly and seek Confession when appropriate. If exhaustion, grief, distraction, disappointment, or a changed routine contributed, bring those realities too. Prayer does not require a more impressive version of your life.
A simple way to restart prayer
1. Begin with one honest sentence
Try one of these:
Jesus, I do not know how to begin, but I am here.
Father, I have avoided you. Please help me return.
Holy Spirit, teach me to pray again.
Do not wait for the right emotion. Do not turn the first prayer into a complete review of the missing months or years. Tell the truth you can tell today.
2. Choose a small daily anchor
Attach a brief prayer to something that already happens: waking, drinking morning coffee, commuting, lunch, or going to bed. For the first week, choose one practice:
- make the Sign of the Cross and pray the Our Father;
- read five to ten verses from a Gospel;
- sit quietly with God for five minutes;
- pray one decade of the Rosary; or
- name one gratitude, one difficulty, and one request.
Five minutes is not a spiritual claim or a promise about what Soulv can do. It is simply a manageable starting point. If another length is more realistic, use it.
3. Return to the prayer of the Church
Private prayer belongs within the Church's worship, not apart from it. Return to Sunday Mass if you have been away and are able to attend. You do not need to wait until your interior life feels repaired before standing with the Church and hearing the Word of God.
Questions about receiving Communion after serious sin require sacramental guidance, not an article or an app. Ask a priest and return to Confession when needed.
4. Expect some resistance
The first days may feel awkward, distracted, or empty. The Catechism recognizes discouragement, dryness, disappointment, and the feeling that prayer has failed. Its answer is not a productivity trick, but humility, trust, and perseverance.
If you miss a day, resume at the next opportunity. Avoid turning one missed prayer into another long disappearance.
5. Let prayer become part of ordinary life
Pope Francis describes persevering prayer as a continuing relationship with God that accompanies daily life. Prayer can begin at a set time and continue through work, care, decisions, repentance, and gratitude.
Ask one question after your brief prayer: “What is the next faithful thing I can do?” The answer may be ordinary—keep a promise, apologize, rest, attend Mass, or help someone. Do not confuse ordinariness with absence.
What if you stopped because prayer was disappointing?
Say so. Perhaps you asked for something good and did not receive the answer you expected. Perhaps a painful event made familiar words feel impossible. Beginning again does not require pretending that disappointment has been resolved.
You might pray:
God, I am still hurt and confused. I do not want to hide that from you. Keep me near while I learn how to pray with it.
The Psalms include lament, questions, memory, and trust. Borrowing their words can keep disappointment addressed to God instead of forcing a quick explanation.
What if you feel unworthy to return?
Christian prayer is not earned by a good record. The recognition that you need mercy is a reason to turn toward God, not away. At the same time, mercy is not permission to avoid concrete repentance.
If there is a specific wrong, acknowledge it, make a sincere resolution to change, repair harm when possible, and bring sin to Confession. If the feeling is vague shame rather than a clear moral judgment, avoid inventing sins. A prudent priest can help distinguish repentance from anxious self-accusation.
A seven-day restart rhythm
For one week:
- Keep the same brief time and place when reasonably possible.
- Make the Sign of the Cross.
- Read a short Gospel passage or pray the Our Father.
- Tell God one true thing about your day.
- Ask for one grace and choose one faithful next step.
- End with “Glory be to the Father” or another familiar prayer.
At the end of the week, do not grade the experience by feelings alone. Ask whether you showed up more honestly, remembered God during the day, or noticed one needed change. Continue the rhythm, adjust it modestly, and seek human guidance if you remain stuck.
A prayer for beginning again
Merciful Father, I am here again. Receive what is honest in me and forgive what needs forgiveness. Give me a faithful beginning, not a perfect performance. Teach me to listen to your Word, return to the life of the Church, and take the next good step with you. Amen.
Where Soulv fits
A simple place to begin again, not a replacement for prayer or the Church.
Soulv can help you name what made prayer difficult and choose one realistic next step. It cannot pray in your place, speak for God, forgive sins, or replace Scripture, Mass, the sacraments, and human accompaniment. One text reflection is free each rolling month, with no account required.
Common questions
Do I need to explain or apologize before I can pray again?
You can begin with an honest apology if you knowingly neglected prayer, but you do not need to produce a long explanation before speaking to God. Name the truth simply, ask for mercy, and begin. If grave sin is involved, bring it to sacramental Confession.
What prayer should I say first?
The Our Father is a strong beginning because Jesus gave it to his disciples. You could also make the Sign of the Cross and say one honest sentence, read a short Gospel passage, or pray Psalm 51. Choose a prayer you can offer attentively rather than an ambitious routine you are unlikely to continue.
What if I feel nothing when I restart?
A lack of emotion does not make the prayer false. Return faithfully without trying to manufacture consolation. If the dryness continues, keep the practice small and consider speaking with a priest or spiritual director.
Should I go to Confession before I start praying?
Do not postpone all prayer until Confession; pray now and ask for grace to return. If you are conscious of serious sin, seek Confession as soon as reasonably possible and ask the priest if you are unsure how to proceed.
Sources and review
Reviewed by Karen Minasyan on Sep 3, 2026.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church: Objections to Prayer — The Holy See. Discouragement in prayer and the need for humility, trust, and perseverance rather than self-reliance.
- General Audience: The Persevering Prayer — The Holy See. Prayer as a continuing relationship with God that can be carried through ordinary life and difficult periods.
- Luke 15 — United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Jesus' parables of God's joy over the return of the lost and the father's welcome of the returning son.
- Soulv: Catholic Reflection — Soulv on the Apple App Store. Soulv's current reflection features, intended uses, and stated limits.