What does it mean to pray without ceasing? It may sound like an unrealistic request, but let’s not be intimidated. There are simple ways we can add more prayer to our busy, everyday lives.
God wants to hear from us. He wants us to keep the door open, to let Him in to our life daily. He wants to have a relationship with us, and the best way to develop a relationship with anyone is to spend time with them.
Tara-Leigh Cobble, podcast host of The Bible Recap, said, “Trying to access the power of God and not the Person of God is selfish idolatry.” We cannot ignore God until we need His holy power to help us. Instead, we must seek to know Him.
So what does praying without ceasing look like, in the midst of a busy 21st century life? While long, thoughtfully worded prayers are necessary at times, we simply cannot do this all day. We have responsibilities, families and jobs.
Here are 8 ways we can incorporate more prayer into our daily lives.
Begin your day with prayer.
During your morning routine, ask God to use you for His glory that day, to give you wisdom, to help you with a problem, etc. It’s a great way to start your day!
Be grateful.
Our verse above instructs us to give thanks in all circumstances. Throughout the day, thank God for the blessings right in front of you. If you experience pleasure, thank God in the moment. If something not so great happens, challenge yourself to thank God in those moments, too.
Pray for someone in need.
Each day, we are presented with opportunities to pray for others. When we watch the news, we get a text or a phone call with bad news, or we see an ambulance, take that opportunity to pray for those involved, even if it’s a short prayer.
Sing praises.
Singing to God is a great way to “rejoice always” like our verse instructs. Even if you don’t feel like it, sing anyway. It lifts our spirits and honors God. You can do this anytime.
Use ordinary tasks as reminders.
As you complete your normal daily chores, use them to create habits of prayer. As you sort mail or send an email at work, say a short prayer for the recipients. Pray for the server at a restaurant or your cashier at the store. When you wash dishes or do laundry at home, pray for each person in your household.
Pray to combat negative feelings.
When you feel anger, irritation, anxiety, fear or other negative emotions, use them as a trigger to remind you to pray for help in showing the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). As these Spirit-filled characteristics increase, your negative feelings will decrease.
Build some quiet time into your life.
Don’t automatically reach for your phone or turn the TV on to entertain you. Take some time each day for silence, to pray and feel direction from God. This might happen during a commute, a shower, kids’ naptime, or simply sitting in stillness for a few minutes each morning. Quiet time is a good time to confess sin and feel conviction.
End your day with prayer.
If you have children and/or a spouse, make this a habit you do together. If not, take some time at the end of each day before you lay down to talk to God.
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Our prayers matter to God and should be a priority for us. This list isn’t meant to be a checklist; we likely won’t do each of these methods every day. Instead, be encouraged to find creative ways that will successfully help you remember to pray without ceasing. The more time we spend with God, the deeper connection we will feel to Him. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by incorporating more prayer into our daily lives.
Lord, we thank you for allowing us to talk directly to you. Please help us to remember to rejoice, pray and thank you continuously throughout our day. We humbly invite you in to our minds and hearts and ask that you guide us to live in a way that honors you. We pray for a deeper and more authentic relationship with you. Amen.
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