In the book of Daniel, we see Daniel himself doing a lot of praying. It’s a habit he cultivated regularly, as well as an immediate, automatic response to trouble.
When one of the rulers Daniel served under had a nightmare of a vision and ordered all the wise men executed out of anger, Daniel prayed (Daniel 2:13-23). He didn’t pray by himself, he enlisted the help of his friends. And once the prayer was answered, Daniel prayed again to praise God.
Under another ruler, when a law was made that forbade praying to anyone or anything but the ruler, Daniel prayed (Daniel 6:7-10). He didn’t suddenly start praying out of spite, he had been doing it all along. He didn’t change the way he prayed in front of his window, he kept doing what he’d been doing.
After considering a prophet’s words and doing some personal study on the matter of God punishing the Israelites, Daniel prayed (Daniel 9:2-19). He asked forgiveness for not only his sins, but the sins of his people. He used the word “we” several times. He acknowledged specific sins.
I’d like to pray more like Daniel. He prayed regularly and frequently. Talking to God was his automatic response to adversity. Thanking God was his automatic response to answered prayer. He acknowledged God’s goodness and confessed his own sins. He was respectful, humble, purposeful, and thankful in his prayers. He got other people involved in praying with him. He talked with God quite a bit, and was on quite friendly terms.
More on prayer:
Praying First
Prayer
Keep Praying
A Little Bit on Praying
An Honest Prayer – Jeremiah