A Challenge to Pray Without Ceasing

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says this:
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Too often, we think of prayer as something that you do at certain scheduled times. Some religions have specific memorized prayers that you have to say; Christianity is not like that! One of the blessings of being in a personal relationship with God is that you can talk to him anytime, anywhere.

It's important to recognize the rest of the verse too: rejoicing always and giving thanks in all circumstances. We are not only to pray without ceasing for things we need, but also give thanks to God for what he has given us.

This definitely does not mean you have to constantly pray out loud! Quick, silent prayers are so helpful in getting through the day. Thinking a prayer before a big test, audition, or game can help calm your nerves. A quick, "Thank you, God" when you notice something good about your day can make all the difference in your mood.

Get in the habit of praying silently for other people as well. Maybe there's someone in your class who is struggling in school or at home. Pray for the person who walks by your house every day with their dog. Pray for the bus driver, or the person in the car next to you at a stoplight. It doesn't matter if you don't know anything about them; you can pray for them anyway.

This doesn't mean that it isn't good to have time set aside only for prayer. It is! Time where you are focused only on God is important too. It just means that we should get in the mindset that God is with us wherever we go and helping us with whatever we need.

Next Steps: Get into the habit of praying silent prayers throughout your day, for yourself and others.

What do you think? Do you do this already? Do you like the idea, but need to get started? How has prayer blessed your life?