Without Ceasing
“... Pray without ceasing...” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Insight
Prayer is powerful.
The Scriptures have so many verses that encourage, challenge, teach, and compel us to pray. The disciples who walked with Jesus asked Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). Jesus responded by teaching them a very famous prayer we know as the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is often given to those who want to learn how to pray. There are other moments where men and women in the Bible show the power of prayer in our lives.
Paul took the challenge of prayer to a new level. Paul encouraged the readers in the church of Thessalonica- and us today-to pray without ceasing. After reading that you may have the same thought I did: Really Paul? Is that even possible?
Paul obviously did not have Facebook, Twitter, a full-time job, a family to raise, or a smartphone. It might be easy to assume that Paul tells us to pray without ceasing because of the time of history he lived in. But if you do your research on Paul, you’ll find he was not a guy who sat around and had all the time in the world to pray. Paul traveled all over the world to plant churches. He wrote letters to keep those churches challenged and he spent a significant portion of his life either being beaten up or in prison.
My brain is not wired for praying without ceasing. My mind is swamped, distracted, and overwhelmed by life every single moment of every day. When I think about praying without ceasing, I immediately get a little bummed because it seems like a goal that is too far away. But God is patient, and He is an incredible Father. He is the type of Father who listens to His children even if they do not talk to Him for a couple of days. He is the type of Father who hangs on every word you say.
I know prayer is important. I know prayer is essential in my life. So, the Lord has taught me a couple of ways to move towards praying without ceasing.
Prayers do not have a specific structure that makes them better or worse. God hears short prayers, long prayers, calm prayers, sad prayers, angry prayers, formal prayers, any prayers. Go to your Father as a child and be real with Him.
When someone/something pops into your head, say a quick prayer right then and there. Have you ever had those moments where you randomly think about a person, sometimes without a reason? When those moments happen, pray for that person or circumstance.
Realize that the gain is not more answered prayers, but the gain is a closer walk with your Father. The new heart I have towards prayer and living a life that prays without ceasing is praying a little more than yesterday. I do not wake up and get frustrated the moment I think about sports rather than praying. But when I wake up and spend some time posturing myself before my Father, I get excited about talking to Him. I get excited to learn more about Him, and I get excited about getting just a little bit closer to Him every day.
Reflection
What habit can you develop to pray just a little bit more every day?
Prayer
Father, thank you for being willingly to always listen to me. Even when I do not say words, You know that my heart longs and cries out for You. You hang on every word I have to say and that is so overwhelming to me. I pray You will continue to develop my heart towards prayer. May I see the great reward of knowing You more intimately with every prayer. Help me pray just a little bit more each day. I love You Father and pray in Your awesome name, Amen.
Port City writer Davy Nance wrote today’s devotional.