Pray Without Ceasing

“Prayer is our first resort, not out last resort.”

I cant remember who i heard this quote from but it is an excellent quote to follow.

Think back on your last hard trial or terrible circumstance that you had. How did you handle it?

For many of us (hopefully) we call out to God in prayer for help. Knowing He hears us and already knows the situation and our need. It can bring much peace to a restless and confused mind to lay our worries at the throne of God and know He will see that His will is done. The prayer may not get answered how we hope, and may not happen in our time frame. But just knowing He is there for us gives us comfort.

Now think back on your good and easy times. How did you handle them?

This is where we can become neglectful and get comfortable in our good life. We are happy and everything is clicking and the pieces seem to be falling into place. We tell people we are thankful and blessed, acknowledging all the mercy and graces God has given us. But by being a bit neglectful, we can fall into a lifestyle of praying less or just outright prayerless. We become stagnant!

Becoming prayerless is a very real thing. Our social life, work life, home life, laziness, and a host of other distractions can pull us in a direction away from spending time in prayer. And I have found  that for me, the less I’m in prayer the more I’m tempted to sin, leading to me sinning more.

It seems extremely easy to run to God when we have trouble. Even many unbelievers will call out to something or someone beyond themselves and beyond this realm when life puts the squeeze on them. I would say that an honest atheist would tell you the same. We naturally reach out for help, but not always for thanks.

I have heard people many times say “if you love someone you will speak to them”. This is true. If love your spouse you will not talk to them only when you need something. If you love your children you will not neglect to talk to them unless you need something. So why does it often seem so easy to speak to God?

We are instructed to pray but that seems like something we shouldn’t have to be told over and over. No one reminds me to speak to my daughter. They do not have the need to do so because I go out of my way to talk to her. I don’t need instructions. But we are reminded countless times to be in prayer for all things and at all times. And we still neglect those instructions.

●Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”.

●1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances”.

Why do we sometimes have a hard time praying when life is good and all is well? David boasted in Psalm 138:3  “In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul”. Here we can see David praying to God during his troubles, and back in prayer in Thanksgiving to God. This is what we should emulate.

God tells us to “pray without ceasing”. In the valley and on the mountain peak we should pray without ceasing. It should be our first resort. God blesses us with each breath, each batting of the eye. When we are brought low it is a blessing that it wasn’t lower. We we are lifted up, it is a blessing that God would cast His eye on us and set us back on solid ground.

Making prayer our first thought in all things shows our gratitude to God and helps humble us so we do not neglect praising Him through our prayers of Thanksgiving for all He graciously give to people who deserve nothing.

●Psalm 107:1 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

●Psalm 7:17 “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.”

●1 Thes 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

●Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

●Colossians 4:2 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.“

●Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.“

●Hebrews 13:15 “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.“

●Pslam 69:30 “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.“

●1 Chron  16:34 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!“