1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Pray Without Ceasing: What can praying without ceasing look like in our day-to-day lives? Sometimes it’s hard to remember to pray in our day-to-day lives. Our days are filled with classes, practices, recitals, studying and so much more. How can we find time to pray, let alone “without ceasing”? Sometimes I think, “Well, thanks a lot, Apostle Paul. Way to make it seem impossible. I can’t just kneel on my knees and pray all the time. How would I get anything done?”
What Paul means in his letter to the Thessalonians is quite different than what I’ve taken it to mean. I really love how the New Living Translation puts verse 17. Paul says, “Never stop praying.” So, does he mean to pray continuously without taking a
breath? Probably not.
What Paul is saying is to live a life of constant prayer and connection with God. You may not be saying an actual prayer every moment of the day, but Paul says we can live lives of prayer just by talking to God during our other activities. So, can you pray while you’re in chemistry class, bored out of your mind with molecules and electrons? Absolutely!
Paul wants us to understand that every aspect of our lives is something we can share with God. We should pray all the time, about anything and everything. We should share our excitement and our disappointment. We should tell Him our needs and thank Him for the things He’s given us. There’s no wrong way to pray without ceasing. You just have take the first step.
Pray: Tell God some of the things you’re hoping for and planning for. (Are you applying to colleges? Do you want to become a doctor? Is there something you’ve wanted to accomplish lately?) Ask Him to lead you in the right direction for these things.
Do: Make a note when you notice that you’re praying just to talk to God about something out of the ordinary. Put the note somewhere you’ll see it often.
