Pray without Ceasing

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "pray without ceasing." It's such a short verse, but one that packs a powerful punch. We should always be praying. Praying with thankfulness, praying in times of need, praying in times of joy, always praying.

This message is one that I need reminded of often, particularly when I try to handle matters myself, thinking that I can handle things alone, when that is not the case. In all things, we all need help from the Lord, which can be easy to forget when things run smooth and pieces fall into place. It's when pieces don't fall into place with ease that we have two options: take it to the Lord in prayer and wait for His guidance, or take matters into our own hands. We all know which option works better, even when it may take more time or have a different outcome than we want.

Sometimes I forget that prayer doesn't have to be fancy, but needs to be an honest conversation with the Lord. It should be something we do often, but not something that becomes a meaningless habit. There should always be a purpose to our prayers, be it giving thanks, asking for help, or praying for others. If people heard my prayers, they would probably think I'd lost my mind, as sometimes I ramble on, other times I get distracted, but if you ask my husband, that's just me. I ramble, I'm easily distracted, but eventually I get to my point. Thankfully the Lord also knows this, and I know that he too, understands...

I will admit, there are somethings I struggle with in prayer. I struggle with laying it all down for the Lord to handle, and at times trusting Him to handle it. I get so determined to solve life's riddles on my own, yet each time I fail, He is there to remind me that if I just lean into Him, I will see the answers were already there.

If you have time, please listen to this song by Mark Lowry (truly soak it in) and hear the truth in it's lyrics. "If you thank God for whatcha got, it'll turn into whatcha want..."

Different Ways to Incorporate Prayer In Your Day

• Pray as soon as you wake up

• Start a prayer journal

• Pray over meals

• Pray when you go to bed

• Pray as soon as something pops into your mind