According to Jesus, the power of prayer isn’t in the number of words that you pray. Our Savior taught, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them” (Matthew 6:7,8). That’s pretty straightforward, isn’t it? Don’t be like people who think they will be heard because they pray for a long time. That’s not how talking to our Father in heaven works.

Just in case you thought Jesus was joking, he went on to teach the most famous prayer of all time, the Lord’s Prayer. Guess how many words it has? In Matthew’s original Greek version, Jesus’ prayer has only 57 words, less than you use when ordering at the McDonald’s drive-thru. Even more eye-opening is Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer, which cuts the word count down to a mere 38 words. 38! Even if you take your time to meditate on each line, that’s a lightning-fast prayer.

Why do short prayers work? Because God is both the all-knowing King who knows what you need and the compassionate Father who loves to meet your needs. So don’t be afraid to have a short conversation with God about your faith, your family, or your pain. While long prayers can be a blessing too, you don’t need to spend all day, because short prayers in Jesus’ name work.