Fitting Devotions into Our Busy Lives

Do you feel like your faith is slipping away? Bonnie Drury shares seven of her favorite devotions that can fit into our daily chaos.

Pope Francis visited Fatima, Portugal in 2023, where he spoke to 200,000 pilgrims. While there, he proclaimed a new devotional title for Mary: “Our Lady in a Hurry.” While this title describes how Mary hastens to care for all her children, it also resonates with all of us because we’re always “in a hurry.” 

Our days are full, and we feel like we haven’t a moment to spare. Yet our souls cry out for God’s peace, and we long to be closer to Him. Here are some devotions that may fit into your daily life.  

The Morning Offering 

This prayer starts our day off right, offering God everything that we will experience. 

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month. Amen.  

Awaken the Sleeping Giant: A Devotion to Saint Joseph 

This devotion began with South American and Filipino Catholics but is now worldwide. Since the Bible tells us that God communicated to Saint Joseph in his dreams, this devotion allows us to “sleep” on our petitions, to dream of them and offer them up to Christ. 

Obtain a statue of a sleeping Saint Joseph and place your intentions under the statue. Pray this prayer once, or as a novena:  

Dear Saint Joseph, please take my petitions and place them in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When you dreamed of the coming of the Savior, you were obedient to God’s Will. Please help me to discern God’s will for me and to be obedient to it. Amen.” (CatholicTradition.org)  

The Jesus Prayer 

Make every breath a prayer. Recite “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God” while inhaling and “have mercy on me, a sinner,” while exhaling. 

This is a beloved tradition among Eastern Catholics.  

The Divine Mercy Prayer 

This prayer can be used any time for any petition, and the Sacred Heart will hear you. 

“On behalf of ______, O blood and water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in you. Please grant ______ the grace of [salvation, healing, fortitude, wisdom, patience, and so on].”  

Wearing the Miraculous Medal 

The design of the Miraculous Medal originated in heaven with Our Blessed Mother. On the night of July 18, 1830, Sister Catherine Laboure was awakened by her guardian angel and summoned to the Chapel. The Blessed Mother was waiting for her and told Sister Catherine that she had a special mission for her. 

Our Mother described the medal she wanted to be created. The first medals were struck on June 30, 1832. From France, the devotion spread all over the world. It became known as Miraculous because of the many miracles attached to it. 

It is not a superstition or “good luck” charm, but a sacramental approved by the Church. It should signify our devotion to Mary. The Church teaches that the wearer, according to Mary’s promise, will receive “great graces.” We need only ask.   

Stations of the Cross 

There’s a beautiful prayer in the Stations of the Cross that could enrich and strengthen our faith daily. 

I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again, and to love you always and to do your will. 

Night Prayer 

What a beautiful way to close our day. 

Jesus Christ, my God, I adore You and thank You for all the graces You have given me this day. I offer you my sleep and all the moments of this night. I place myself and all my loved ones, wherever they may be, in Your sacred side and under the mantel of Our Blessed Mother. Let your holy angels stand watch and keep us in peace. Amen.  

Devotions and prayer add so much to our daily lives as busy as they are. By fitting them in and sharing our burden with the Lord, life becomes more peaceful and joyful. 

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Copyright 2026 Bonnie Drury
Images: Canva
A version of this article was previously published in Radiant, a publication of OSV.