Praying With Your Eyes Open, Why That’s Okay

I realized something the other day. When I pray at church, my head is bowed and eyes closed. But when I pray at home, most of the time my eyes are opened. Perhaps, you’ve realized the same thing in your own life, and are wondering what the Bible says about praying with your eyes open.

Overall, the practice of praying with eyes open or closed is a matter of personal preference. There is no rule within Christianity or the Bible regarding whether eyes should be open or closed during prayer. Praying with eyes open can improve focus and engagement with surroundings.

Let’s experience the Bible and see how people prayed in the Bible and what that means for our prayer posture regarding our eyes. Should they be open? Should they be closed? Does it really matter?

How People Prayed in The Bible

Biblical and archeological evidence shows that the most typical prayer posture in Jesus’ day was standing, with arms lifted, eyes open looking heavenward.

Postures of Prayer in The Bible

In the Bible various forms of prayer are mentioned. These include:

• Kneeling: Many instances in the Bible describe individuals kneeling down as a sign of humility and reverence before God. For example, Daniel knelt in prayer (Daniel 6:10), and Jesus prayed while kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:41).
• Standing: Standing was another posture for prayer. In the temple, people often stood to pray (Luke 18:11-13).
• Lifting Hands: The act of lifting hands in prayer is mentioned in several places. This gesture symbolizes surrender, dependence, and reaching out to God. Psalm 63:4 is an example where lifting hands is mentioned.
• Prostration or Bowing: Prostrating oneself or bowing down is a gesture of deep humility and submission. In the Bible, individuals bowed or prostrated themselves before God, acknowledging His greatness.
• Silent Prayer: Not all prayers in the Bible involve spoken words. There are instances where individuals prayed silently or in their hearts, like Hannah’s silent prayer for a child (1 Samuel 1:13-15).
• Verbal Prayer: Many prayers in the Bible are spoken aloud, expressing thoughts, requests, praise, or thanksgiving. Examples include the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and various prayers in the Psalms.

But what about their eyes? Where they open or closed? Well, two stories in the Bible immediately come to mind. The first one we’ve touched on already.

Looking to Heaven

When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was kneeling with his eyes toward heaven. John’s account of the story begins,

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed…”

John 17:1

Not only was Jesus’ eyes open, but they were focused heavenward. Another instance when Jesus prayed with His eyes open was when He fed the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Matthew records Jesus, “taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves” (Matthew 14:19).

It’s More About the Heart

Luke records a parable that Jesus told about a tax collector and a Pharisee going to the temple to pray. The story goes something like this:

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke18:10-14

From this story we learn two important things about how people prayed in the Bible.

First, we learn that people typically prayed with their eyes open looking heavenward. We know this because Jesus made a point to say the tax collector was not doing this. That means, it was unexpected and out of the ordinary.

Secondly, we can learn that the posture of our heart is more important than the posture of our body. The Bible emphasizes the sincerity, humility, and faith of our prayers and not our physical posture.

Curious, on how to begin or end your prayers? Check out these articles. One discusses how to start a prayer and the right attitude to have when we approach God. The other one talks about how we so often end our prayers (“Amen”) and what it means for the prayers we pray.

What Happens if You Pray with Your Eyes Open?

Praying with your eyes open does not have any super spiritual affect on your prayers. That said, it can help you personally as you pray. For example, praying with your eyes open can,

1. Increased Awareness: Praying with eyes open allows us to remain aware of our surroundings. This heightened awareness can foster a sense of connection with the environment and the people around them.
2. Focused Engagement: Keeping the eyes open may help some people maintain focus and attentiveness during prayer. It can prevent distractions and help individuals stay present in the moment.
3. Connection with Creation: Praying with eyes open may enhance the sense of connection with the created world. Observing nature or the surroundings can serve as a reminder of God’s presence.
4. Adaptability: Open-eyed prayer can be more adaptable to various situations. For example, in communal settings or public spaces, it might be more practical to pray with eyes open.
5. Expressing Gratitude: Keeping the eyes open can provide an opportunity to express gratitude for the visible aspects of creation and life. It may lead to a deeper appreciation for the blessings that can be seen.

Personally, I find praying with my eyes open allows me to focus more on my prayers. When I pray with my eyes closed, my mind tends to wander and sometimes I even doze off. However, when I pray with my eyes open, I am able to focus more on my thoughts and conversation with God.

At the end of the day, it is one-hundred percent okay to pray with your eyes open. It may even help you focus better. Ultimately, whether we choose to pray with our eyes open or our eyes closed, it doesn’t really matter.

What does matter is cultivating a sincere and humble heart before God. Our inner posture matters more than our outer posture. How we approach God in prayer is more important than what we look like approaching Him. So, if it helps you to pray with your eyes open, then pray with them open.