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You are here: Home / Prayer / Use The 5 Finger Prayer to Visually Recall Your Prayer List

December 19, 2018 ·

Use The 5 Finger Prayer to Visually Recall Your Prayer List

Prayer

Use the 5 Finger Prayer to visually recall your prayer list. Great way to teach kids how to pray, but also good for adults! (+ free printable prayer cards) #Prayer #HowToPrayIt was early in my career and I was leading my first meeting. I was trying to describe how the computer system was going to work, but no one in the room seemed to understand. By the end of the meeting, we were no further along than when we’d started. My manager stayed behind after everyone else left and provided this piece of advice, “you need to speak in pictures.”

The 5 Finger Prayer: Visually Recall Your Prayer List

According to some studies, 65% of us are visual learners, meaning we learn better from pictures, graphics, illustrations, and charts. If you are in this group of visual learners, or even in the 5% of kinesthetic learners who need touch and movement, then you may like this prayer framework even better than the ACTS method.

The 5 Finger Prayer was developed by Pope Francis, long before he was elected to be the Pope. He published this prayer method as a way to make prayer more accessible and help people pray for those need prayer the most. 

Use the 5 Finger Prayer to visually recall your prayer list. Great way to teach kids how to pray, but also good for adults! (+ free printable prayer cards)

How to Pray the 5 Finger Prayer

Hold out your hand as you pray and say a prayer for each of your five fingers.

1) Thumb – Pray for family and friends

Your thumb is the closest to your heart. So, start here by praying for those closest to you. 

Pray for your family and friends.

Use the 5 Finger Prayer to visually recall your prayer list. Great way to teach kids how to pray, but also good for adults! (+ free printable prayer cards)

2) Index Finger – Pray for those who teach and guide

The next finger is the index or pointer finger, the one used to give directions. Pray for people who lead, teach, and give guidance.

Pray for your teachers, doctors, counselors, ministers, coaches, police, firemen, and other people who influence and guide your life.

Use the 5 Finger Prayer to visually recall your prayer list. Great way to teach kids how to pray, but also good for adults! (+ free printable prayer cards)

3) Middle Finger – Pray for leaders

This is your tallest finger and reminds us to pray for those in charge. Pray for the government and leaders around you.

Pray for your country and its leaders. Pray for your local state and city leaders. Pray for leaders at your office place – the executives who lead the company, as well as your reporting chain.

Use the 5 Finger Prayer to visually recall your prayer list. Great way to teach kids how to pray, but also good for adults! (+ free printable prayer cards)

4) Ring Finger – Pray for those in need

Your ring finger (the fourth finger) is your weakest finger. This one reminds us to pray for the weak and needy.

Pray for the sick, the homeless, the poor, and all those who are hurting and in need. 

Use the 5 Finger Prayer to visually recall your prayer list. Great way to teach kids how to pray, but also good for adults! (+ free printable prayer cards)

5) Pinkie Finger – Pray for yourself

The last finger, the pinkie, is your smallest finger. This one is for you. Now that you have prayed for everyone else, spend time to pray for yourself. Consider your needs from the perspective of all the others you’ve just prayed for.

Pray for yourself last. Pray for your relationship with Christ to grow. Pray for your specific needs and concerns. Pray for God’s blessings in your life. Pray prayers of thanksgivings. 

Use the 5 Finger Prayer to visually recall your prayer list. Great way to teach kids how to pray, but also good for adults! (+ free printable prayer cards)

PRAY DEEP CHALLENGE: Try the 5 Finger Prayer today. Each time you pray, think of a different group of people to pray for with each finger. If you have children, this is a great prayer to do with them.

Use the 5 Finger Prayer to visually recall your prayer list. Great way to teach kids how to pray, but also good for adults! (+ free printable prayer cards) #Prayer #HowToPray

Resources:

For more information on the 5 Finger Prayer, check out these resources:

Ways to Pray: Five Finger Prayer @ prayercentral.net

A Simple Prayer Method from a Simple Pontiff @ CatholicVote.org

Pray Deep


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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. katebellingham says

    March 2, 2015 at 7:35 am

    Hi, thanks for sharing this! It’s a great idea and definitely one I’ll try with my son! x

  2. Ellen Chauvin says

    March 2, 2015 at 9:23 am

    Kathryn, I love the simplicity of this. I am planning to teach my grandkids with this! Thank you

  3. Dawn Boyer says

    March 4, 2015 at 12:31 pm

    Prayer…. I love that this is your language. I am encouraged that I can come to your little home here and be reminded of the tools I have to break down walls that keep me from His purpose and blessing. I also absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the book suggestions you have on the sidebar.
    Thank you!
    Blessings,
    Dawn

    • Kathryn says

      March 4, 2015 at 9:41 pm

      my language – I’ve never thought of it that way, but will have to really ponder that idea… I’m so glad this is connecting and that you’ve found my little corner of the world! So glad to have you here!

  4. Lauren says

    March 7, 2015 at 7:07 am

    I love this! Such a great way to remember all the different groups to pray for. It’s easy to pray for ‘your own’ and forget about the rest.

Trackbacks

  1. Pray Deep: Ignite Your Prayer Life - Finding Hope says:
    March 1, 2015 at 8:35 pm

    […] 5 Finger Prayer […]

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Hi, I'm Kathryn! I'm glad you're here to journey with me! I'm just an ordinary girl following an extraordinary God, learning to seek God's possible in this world of impossible. Fueled by loads of coffee, I'm passionate about helping and encouraging you along this journey, too! Let's step forward together and learn practical ways to live into God's possible! Read More…

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