Daily Devotional – Saturday, April 30, 2022
Pray without ceasing
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)
At some point in my spiritual journey, I did not understand what it meant to ‘pray without ceasing’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Did the Lord expect me to stop working and spend all the time on my knees?
Is He not the one who taught that I do not need to use many words in prayer because He already knows what I need before I ask? (Matthew 6:7-8).
I thank God because He gradually expounded this text to me.
We Always Ought to Pray and Not Lose Heart
First, He taught me that praying without ceasing meant being persistent. According to Luke, the main lesson in the Parable of the Persistent Widow was that “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1).
Like the widow, as I continue petitioning God, I spend more time with Him. That way, He reveals my weaknesses and gradually gives me the power to overcome them. In essence, persistent prayer transforms character.
Prayer as an Attitude
Second, praying without ceasing means prayer becomes an attitude rather than a mere ritual. I am in a prayer mood anywhere, anytime. I don’t need to be in a special room or in church to talk to God.
Jesus will listen to me when I am travelling and when I am in the middle of a crowd. I can send a quick request to God during a job interview. My communication line with God is open 24/7.
Persistent Prayer is Transformative
Because my God neither sleeps nor slumbers, I pray without ceasing. As we converse with my Best Friend (God), He transforms my character because I cannot be close to Him and remain unchanged.
However busy your life is, remember to pray without ceasing because God’s never stops listening to you.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, because Your ears are always open to my cry, I will pray without ceasing.
