Prayer is so powerful! It’s how we talk to God. We can’t always fix the problems and tricky situations in our lives, but we can always pray. God listens, and that should give us hope. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray continually.”
What does the word continually mean? According Merriam-Webster, it means: happening without interruption : not stopping or ending. So we are to never stop praying. Pray all day long. Be in constant communication with God. Talk to him through every circumstance. Don’t just pray when things are looking up. Don’t just pray when you need an answer.
Do you feel like you don’t know how to pray or what to say? Jesus gave us a model of how he wanted us to pray. In Matthew 6:9-13 (often called the Lord’s Prayer) Jesus says,
“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
In short, Jesus is saying that in our prayers, we should thank God (verse 9) and pray for his will to be done in the world and in our lives (verse 10). He asks that we pray for our daily needs (verse 11). Some people feel guilty praying about their daily needs, struggles and problems, but Jesus told us to do so. In the Lord’s Prayer, it goes on to say that we should ask for forgiveness and forgive others (verse 12). Lastly, we pray to be delivered from Satan and his deceit (verse 13).
Currently, I’m stressed out about a big life change. Of course, I need to do my part and get prepared for these changes, but I can only do so much. Therefore, I pray for God’s will and I give the stresses to Him and I know that His plans will succeed.
You can go to God for anything. At times, all you need is to give your concerns to Him, and you will have a peace knowing that you’ve placed it in the Creator’s hands. When you pray, it’s not words going out into the void. Someone is listening and making the perfect things happen in your life. All you have to do next is be attentive for His reply.
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