Most often, people read prayers before the faces of the saints in difficult times, when they no longer have the strength to fight on their own. But this cannot be the rule. Faith comes from the heart and accompanies us through life, and therefore prayer should become our companion. The Lord and all the saints have their own prayers for every occasion in life, for every problem, but there are also others - short prayers. They do not require preparation before reading; they are said before and after important matters, which means there is no need to go to church.
Does a short prayer have power?
Short prayers are very powerful. But it is very important to invest in them sincere faith that the prayer appeal will be effective. Today, the modern rhythm of life leads to the fact that Orthodox Christians often complain of absent-mindedness and inattention. This prevents you from truly concentrating on a long traditional prayer. And in this case, even if there is sincere faith in a person’s soul and he leads a righteous lifestyle, then prayer will be useless. According to clergy, a prayer address spoken automatically is like a body without a soul. It is this that will not be heard and there will be no response after it.
The power of a short prayer can be explained using the example of a well-known church parable. It is believed that Christ himself told it to his listeners. One day, two people entered the temple at the same time: a Pharisee and a tax collector.
The Pharisee theatrically fell to his knees in the middle of the church hall and said:
“I thank you, Lord, that I do not have as many sins as the publican who entered the holy temple with me.
I fast twice a week and donate a tenth of my own property to the poor.” And the publican, who, by virtue of his profession, had to collect taxes, realizing himself to be a sinner, did not dare to move away from the threshold of the temple.
He just stood there, beat himself in the chest with his fist and said:
“All-merciful Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
After such a story, Christ concluded that the publican’s prayer was much closer to God than the pretentious prayer appeal of the Pharisee. Therefore, the publican’s short prayer, spoken from the bottom of his heart, was heard. Such a short prayer was a sincere request for God's mercy, based on the understanding that without God's mercy there is no hope of saving one's soul.
The power of short prayers is that they do not require much effort. A believer can recite them at any time as many times as he likes. This means that he will constantly ask for mercy from God, emphasizing his sincere faith.
It should be realized that prayer can be very short and still not lose its power. It is important to understand that the Lord does not need words, because he already sees the soul of a person, therefore he can recognize any falsity. Words are always secondary in prayer. The feelings of a believer are paramount. When there is no concentration when praying, it is much worse than a couple of words incorrectly pronounced in prayer. If prayer words do not come from the depths of the heart, then this means that the prayer will not be heard by God.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel for trade
The tradition of prayer for successful trade is known to merchants, traders, traders and businessmen of all times. In trade and business, the factor of chance plays a very important role. In difficult circumstances, people always discern the will of God. The Church blesses successful thinking and the development of one’s business. After all, material security is the key to a good education for children, a strong family, and support for people in need.
Accept my tearful prayer, holy Guardian Angel, my faithful protector! Fear penetrated my bones, grief crushed my entire soul. Why did I, crazy man, leave you? Why didn’t I turn to you when I was tempted? I became the slave of a demon, a terrible creature rejected by God.
I gave him my soul for vain pleasure, for momentary pleasure. For him I betrayed my God. Alas! Nothing can compare to my misfortune! Pray for me, holy Angel, ask the merciful God to forgive me for my iniquities.
Why are short prayers needed?
Short prayers are very often used to attract good luck into your own life. If you repeat them often, the request will definitely be heard. In addition, such prayers should be used in case of any danger. In difficult situations, you need to concentrate as much as possible on pronouncing the words of a prayer appeal. To do this, for example, you can close your eyes.
Short prayers are indispensable during the period of attracting children to faith. A child’s simple request, expressed in his own words, is always more powerful than a memorized prayer from the Bible. It has been noticed that very often children’s short prayers are miraculous.
Short prayers that are said in the morning and evening can be modified. It depends on what you expect from the coming day or how the day went. If the maximum natural energy is invested in them, then they have exceptional power and can help in any endeavor.
Quite often, believers have a question about what language they should pray in, and how important it is to use prayers in the original. It should be remembered that short prayers do not require any special skill or special language. They represent a short conversation with God, which has a deep spiritual meaning. It is recommended to use short prayers frequently for a variety of reasons. And this will allow you to remain alone with God, at least for a few moments, which will strengthen faith and make a person’s life more successful.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel for my son
In any trouble, you need to turn to the Lord, His saints and Heavenly Powers, so that with the help of God evil is transformed into good, in order to avoid spiritual confusion. Pray for your son in times of trouble, if you want and need to protect him.
Hear my prayer, holy Angel of God. You are to me and my son what a mother is to a weak baby. Your love constitutes happiness, glory, peace. Your suggestions are sweeter to me than the honeycomb that melts in my mouth. They, acting on me with their secret power, penetrate the soul and revive the heart. One name of yours, one memory of you tames the excitement of our souls. You are the light of our eyes: always illuminate us with the holy rays of Divine truth.
Daily short prayers for an Orthodox Christian
An Orthodox Christian should use short prayers every day. They should start and end the day with them.
Short morning prayers
Waking up every morning, you need to turn your inner gaze to the Lord God and imagine yourself standing before him.
After this, you need to say a short prayer, which is considered the initial one:
"In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen."
This short prayer has deep meaning. By saying “in the name,” the believer praises the Lord.
The whole phrase is nothing more than God’s address to the Apostles when he told them:
“Go and bring all nations to the faith, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
The word “amen” signifies the end of a prayer address, but it is also used to reinforce what is being said. By starting the day with such a short prayer, the believer informs the Lord that he will live it according to the laws of God.
After some time, another short prayer is said, which sounds like this:
“O merciful God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
With this prayer, which according to legend was said by a publican who repented of his sins, a believer asks for forgiveness for his known and unknown sins that he may commit in the coming day.
A believer should ask the Lord for God’s mercy by saying the following short prayer:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the Saints, have mercy on us. Amen".
And finally, a short prayer in which the Lord is glorified. It sounds like this
:
“Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.”
This is the basic set of obligatory short morning prayers. But after them, you can use other short appeals to God, if the desire arises and there is time for this.
Short evening prayers
In the evening hour you need to devote more time to prayers. Before going to bed, a believer should also read all the short prayers given above. And after them, another part is read, consisting of short prayers.
First, the Trisagion prayer is read three times, which sounds as follows:
“Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.”
This prayer is said by Angels in heaven, surrounding the throne of God.
Next, a short glorification of the Lord Almighty is spoken:
“Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen".
This is followed by a petitionary prayer, to which the believer addresses the Holy Trinity in general and each character individually: he asks God the Father for the remission of sins, he asks God the Son to forgive iniquities, and he asks God the Holy Spirit for healing from infirmity.
The text of the short prayer is as follows:
“Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Lord, forgive our iniquities. Holy One, visit us and heal our illnesses, to glorify Your name.”
After this, the oldest short prayer common to all Christians is said three times:
"Lord have mercy".
It must be recited throughout the day every time one remembers one’s own sins. In order to receive the blessings of the Lord, it must be recited 20 times, and to sanctify the whole life, the believer must recite it 40 times in the temple.
Prayers to the Guardian Angel for all occasions
Prayer to the Guardian Angel is the invisible shield of an Orthodox Christian, a strong protection from evil, because these heavenly beings are constantly fighting with demons for the souls of people.
Holy Angel, accompanying my sinful soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, do not depart from me because of my intemperance. Do not let the evil demon possess me through the violence of my mortal body; hold me by my weak hand and guide me on the path of salvation. Oh, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my sinful soul and unclean body, forgive me everything with which I offended you all the days of my life, and everything I sinned with this past night, cover me in the coming day, and save me from any temptation, so that I do not anger God with any sin, and pray to the Lord for me, so that He will confirm me in His fear, and see me worthy as a servant of His grace. Amen.
Options for basic short prayers
The short prayers presented below can be read at any time provided for by church rules. They are very effective and if pronounced with sincere faith, they will definitely be heard.
Holy Spirit
A short prayer to the Holy Spirit is a stichera, that is, a short chant dedicated to the holiday of Pentecost. During the period from Easter to Pentecost, this prayer is not recommended.
In this prayer, Christian believers turn to the Holy Spirit. He is the third Person of the Holy Trinity. In this short address the Holy Spirit is called the King of Heaven. This is because He is equal to God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Trinity invisibly reigns over the whole world and everyone living in it. In this prayer he is called the Comforter, because only he is able to calm a believer in grief and sadness. He is called in this prayer the Spirit of truth, because that is what the Savior called Him, and this explains that the Holy Spirit can teach a believer only one truth, that is, he reveals to people what is useful for them and will serve as salvation. The Holy Spirit is the Omnipresent God, since He is around us in everything and fills everything with Himself. He rules the whole world, he sees everything and knows what to give and to whom. He is the treasure of good things, the source of all good things and the guardian of all good deeds. In prayer, the Holy Spirit is called the Giver, since everything in the world around us lives and moves by Him. Believers from Him receive spiritual, holy and eternal life after death, being cleansed from their sins through Him.
Saying the words of a short prayer, believers turn to the Holy Spirit with the request:
“Come and dwell in us.”
This petition means a request for cleansing from all filth and sins, and also expresses a person’s desire to become worthy and receive salvation for this.
A short prayer to the Holy Spirit goes like this:
“Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, omnipresent and filling the whole world, Source of blessings and Giver of life, come and dwell in us; cleanse us from all sin and save, O Good One, our souls.”
Holy Mother of God
The Mother of God is the greatest and one of the most revered Saints. Her icons are miraculous, and her prayers have special power. It depends, first of all, on the sincerity of faith. A short prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos can be read anywhere and at any time. The Mother of God will always hear the prayer of a sincere believer and provide support in a difficult life situation.
The short prayer goes like this:
“Worthy and truly good are You, the Most Holy Theotokos, the Ever-Blessed and Immaculate Mother of our God. The most honorable and most glorious of all the Saints, who conveys God the Word without corruption, we magnify the present Mother of God.”
Such a short prayer can support a believer in difficult times. It will provide reliable protection in a dangerous situation and will provide invaluable assistance in making the right decision. This prayer should be used before significant life events and any responsible undertakings.
In times of trouble, even the simplest appeal is considered effective:
“Most Holy Theotokos, save us!”
Prayer to the Guardian Angel for good luck
There is a small book “Reflections dedicated to the Guardian Angel for each day of the month.” From it you can learn a lot about nature and the help of Guardian Angels.
I hear your voice in my soul, holy Guardian Angel, and as a man lost and abandoned by a treacherous friend, I turn to you: be my savior. Like a warrior disarmed and covered with wounds, drawn into captivity by a fierce winner, I turn to you, heavenly Intercessor: take me under your roof.
As an unfortunate person who has fallen into the hands of robbers threatening death, I turn to you, heavenly Messenger: be my protector.
Like a sailor who is shipwrecked and swallowed up by the waves, I appeal to you, Bearer of heavenly power: save me.
Like a traveler walking in the darkness of the night and suddenly seeing a gaping abyss in front of him, from which an outstretched hand grabs and drags me away, I resort to you, heavenly Guardian of my life: save me.
Like a child resting in a sweet sleep and during sleep torn from the arms of his father and mother, and awakening in a dark prison, I turn to you, heavenly Cover of my weakness: be my deliverer!
Like a poor orphan, abandoned without protection among fierce villains, I resort to you, Guardian Angel, show me your mercy, preserve in me the fruit of the redemption of Jesus Christ.
His blood sanctified my soul; He entrusted her to your protection. And I entrust it to you, and I put myself under your protection. You are my hope, my refuge, my salvation.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel for help in work
In any trouble, for example, in case of difficulties at work, do not forget to turn to your Guardian Angel, because he is your closest and first protector and patron.
Holy Angel, my Guardian! I have fallen far behind my example, but you will help me, you will teach me, you will encourage me.
When I ask you, you will not hesitate to appear and give advice in my soul on what I need to improve on, what is lacking in me; you will help me correct my shortcomings. Give me a good job!
Your love for me and my love for you will change me and make me like you. May God's mercy, which entrusted me to your love, be blessed forever and ever.
