Creator, Father, King #177

Never stop praying.

PRAYER IS A WONDERFUL gift from God. Prayer is an important spiritual discipline in the Christian life. Prayer is something we should do regularly with joy.

Nobody argues with any of that.

But then we run across today’s verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:17—“Never stop praying”—and we have to wonder, What exactly does that mean?

Does “never stop praying” mean you need to cease everything else you’re doing, shut yourself in a room, pray for eighteen hours a day, sleep for six (maybe), and ask for meals to be slid through an opening in the door at appropriate intervals?

No, of course not!

Knowing what this brief verse doesn’t mean isn’t hard. But understanding what it does mean will unlock some beautiful spiritual truths about prayer and help us grow in this important area of our lives.

What’s It Mean?

Every follower of Jesus Christ should set aside specific daily time to seek the Lord through prayer, Scripture reading, and meditation on God’s Word. But prayer should not be limited to a once-a-day occurrence. We should go through our days in a prayerful mindset, being in continual fellowship with God.

When God blesses you, offer a prayer of thanksgiving on the spot. When you are tempted to sin, ask him to deliver you. When you fall prey to temptation, confess your sin and rejoice in the gospel. When you need direction in life, pray for godly wisdom. When life’s trials overwhelm you, cry out to him for help. When you meet someone else who is struggling, ask God how you can shine Christ’s light on them.

Life is so much more than the mundane, material things we allow ourselves to get wrapped up in. This constant prayerfulness is part of developing a Christlike mindset in alignment with what the apostle Paul says in Colossians 3:2: “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”

Throughout every day, lift up your heart and mind toward your Redeemer in prayers of worship, thanksgiving, confession, and supplication. He is worthy of it all, and your faith will grow!

Now What?

Look at the broader context of today’s verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” It seems as if Paul wanted us—among other things—to never stop joyfully thanking God for all his blessings to us.

Did You Know?

You won’t wear out God with your prayers. He is a heavenly Father who delights in hearing from his children (Proverbs 15:8).