Today’s guest blogger is Steve Sjogren.

Some time ago I began a habit of asking people—often people I’ve just met—if I could pray a “10-second prayer” for them. You see, if you offer to pray for someone you don’t know by asking, “May I pray for you?” you’ll usually be turned down; most people worry that an open-ended prayer could carry on for who-knows-how-long, and could become downright embarrassing. But a 10-second prayer feels much safer.

I encourage you to try it. After you’ve met someone and shared a few words—in line at the grocery store or at a bus stop, perhaps—before parting, ask, “May I pray a 10-second prayer for you?” They may say, “no.” But they may say, “yes.”

For a 10-second prayer, keep the following 5 tips in mind:

1. Start with a prayer of availability.
The Bible is full of the stories of people who were willing to pray those electrifying words, “Here I am Lord, send me.” So start by praying a variation: “Here I am Lord. Use me.” When we tell God we are willing to be used by Him, we’re saying, “I am willing to be interrupted.”

As Shakespeare’s Hamlet said, “The readiness is all.”

2. Turn on your “noticing radar.”
The Holy Spirit is able—even excited—to communicate with you. Jesus walked through life with his “spiritual radar” on 24/7.

Once when He was walking past the Pool of Bethesda, He and his friends saw dozens, maybe hundreds, of sick and crippled people gathered around that pool hoping to be healed. Jesus walked past everyone, except for a man who had never walked. After an exchange of just a few words with Jesus, the crippled man walked.

Later Jesus explained why He only prayed for one man: “I only do what I see the Father doing” (John 5:19, paraphrase).

Turn on your radar. Ask the Spirit, “Help me to see what You are up to around me.”

READ MORE: 10 QUICK “BREATH PRAYERS”

3. Focus on God’s power, not on your fears.
Relax. Let God do what you can’t do.

We so easily talk ourselves into believing the lie that something isn’t possible: “Yeah, I’d love to pray for that person, but that’s not something a person like me is wired to do.”

If that sounds like you, develop the habit of praying, “You deal with my fears, God.” Then dive in head first, despite your fears and watch God work.

4. Ask God to pray His prayer through you.
When you meet someone, or as you’re talking with someone, try silently praying, “God, pray your prayer through me; flow through me with your joy and encouragement.”

As you do, a prayer will often form in your heart and mind before you even ask the other person if you can pray a ten-second prayer. Sometimes it will even come into your mind as a picture, allowing you to envision a blessing for them, such as, “In the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, I bless you with His life and love.” Or, “I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul” (3 John 1:2, ESV).

5. Don’t forget to have fun!
This might be the most important point of all. Paul wrote, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Relax! Smile! Enjoy the freedom from fear that comes upon you when the Spirit of the Lord is present. After just a few 10-second prayers, you will find yourself smiling and changing…along with those you pray for.

Steve Sjogren is the author of The Day I Died (Bethany House Publishers 2006) and Conspiracy of Kindness (Regal 2008).

Prayer meetings and “prayer request” times in church or small groups used to frustrate me, until I discovered a prayer secret that completely turned my frustration into fulfillment.

For example, my wife and I serve on one of many “hospitality teams” at our church. We arrive 45 minutes before the scheduled worship service, and receive instructions or updates with the large group of volunteers, then go off to a semi-private hallway with our 10- or 12-person group to pray before we take up our various duties (brewing coffee, greeting, etc.).

Our group’s leaders encourage us to share prayer requests (or “praise reports”) with the group before we then go around our little circle while some pray and some pass. Invariably, however, the bulk of our time is spent talking about our needs rather than praying about them. In fact, I’ve been in “prayer meetings” that had to be cut short after the “request” period, with a challenge to pray on our own as we dispersed because time had run out!

READ MORE: 3 THINGS TO LET GO OF IN PRAYER

And invariably, some of the requests are overlooked during the prayer time (though our group leaders thoughtfully and carefully record each request and follow up later in the week with a complete list via email so we can continue to support each other in prayer).

But here’s the prayer secret I discovered that made such frustrations a thing of the past for me: I don’t have to wait to start praying. I can pray as requests are being made.

It goes like this: Sister Monica begins sharing her burden for her teenage son, who is struggling with rebellion and depression. While she is still talking, I begin praying silently: “Lord, have mercy. Speak to him. Shine your light and love into his heart. Give Monica the wisdom she needs,” and so on. It helps me to move my lips as I pray, but I try to do so in a way that doesn’t draw attention.

Then, as the next person starts sharing a concern, I finish praying for Monica and her son and shift to immediately and silently praying for the next request being made.

When someone “passes,” I’ll still say a quick prayer for God to bless that person and to meet their needs.

In this way, by the time the “prayer request” time is over and it’s “time to pray,” I’ve already taken every need people have expressed—and some they haven’t—to the throne of God in prayer. And rather than feeling frustration at the ratio of “request time” to “prayer time,” I can focus on the prayers being offered while feeling satisfaction at the requests I’ve already made.