Pray Without Ceasing

by Brandy Webb

First Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing.” I have to say that through my life,no matter how frustrated I get, I try not to stop praying. I may not pray all the time on my knees, but I am in constant conversation with the Father. I talk to Him when I get up, when schooling isn’t going quite the way I want it to, when I am confused, which unfortunately happens a lot, when I am happy, etc… I am constantly talking to God.

I really believe that Paul, since he had so many trials to overcome, knew the importance ofconstantly keeping God in our thoughts. This world is not an easy place to live in, and many times it knocks the mess out of us. I cannot imagine not having God to talk to all the time. It would be like walking in a wilderness blindly and deafly all alone.

Paul even reiterates this constant praying in Romans 12:12. What is so interesting is, in both references he tells us to first rejoice and then to pray without ceasing. How many times have we forgotten the rejoicing part? I know I have, especially when things are not going very well. We must remember to rejoice that we have a God that we can pray to, and who really cares about us and listens.

Give Him Your Burdens

To continue this thought about praying, we must also ask ourselves if, when we pray, we let ourselves go, exposing our inner being before His throne. If we do not, we need to. He already knows everything about us, but He wants us to freely give ourselves to Him, and then let Him help us.

We need Him, but He wants us. So, when life seems to become more than you can handle, when you feel that your accomplishments for the day would not even fill a line on a piece of paper, turn to Him. Fall into His open arms, so that He can carry you along.

I have heard that people tend to give so much of their selves that they forget to stop and “fill” themselves up, thus finally deflating and having an emotional breakdown. Well, we cannot fill ourselves up; but if we ask, that is what the Holy Spirit in us will do for us through our Father.We must surrender ourselves to the throne, and wait for Him to move things for us. Let Him carry our burdens, and trust that it will all come out for good.

Remember to “humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

So, the next time you don’t feel like you did your job right, go to Him, give Him the burdens of that day, the burdens of trying to reach some far off pinnacle, the burdens of guilt, and whatever else, and let him carry it while he refills you for tomorrow.

Trust Him

Make your request known to the Father, lay them at His feet, respect Him by trusting Him that he hears you and is listening. Remember that when you pray to the Father you must have faith and do not doubt, for if you doubt you won’t receive anything from Him because of your double-mindedness (James 1:6-8).

The Father does care about you. He wants you to talk to Him. Ask Him everything and wait upon the Lord to answer whether His answer is no or yes. Wait, trust, and believe; all three have to be present and working together always.

We cannot please the Father without faith, and if you cannot trust, you do not have faith. Israel had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years due to their lack of trust in God. We have a choice, to trust or to wander aimlessly in this world.