PRAYER
Pray Without Ceasing
Why do we Pray?
Prayer is how we communicate with God. In prayer, we share our hearts. We also pause to listen for wisdom and guidance. As John Wesley, the founder of methodism, wrote, "All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the order of God." Prayer is foundational to faith. It is one of the primary ways we grow closer to God. Prayer can bring focus to challenges that we face. It opens our eyes to see the wonders and miracles that God is performing all around us. It invites healing into the life of the person who is praying, as well as, into the life of the person for whom they are praying. It calls us to learn to accept the mystery of faith and seek a deeper connection with God.
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What happens when our prayers don't seem to be answered? When we are being transparent, authentic, and real with God, that’s where we experience God’s love and God’s presence. Even when we may not get the answer we are asking for in our prayers, we feel safe, seen and known by God. Prayer enables us to trust God even when things aren’t going as we would like.
How do we Pray?
1 Thessalonians 5:17 calls us to "Pray without ceasing." Everything we do throughout the day from our waking moments till we fall asleep at night should be done in prayer with thoughtfulness and consideration of our faith, and with a desire to grow closer to God and deeper in our faith. This is a high bar when life throws many distractions and challenges our way. Praying without ceasing is a challenge. It is one that we can likely never truly achieve in this life, but it is a perfection that we grow towards.
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If prayer is something new to you, please give yourself grace. In a world of 30-second sound bytes and 10-second TikTok videos, taking time to focus and dedicate our thoughts to a single purpose can be difficult. Many who begin a practice of prayer find themselves easily distracted or even fall asleep. Don't let this discourage you. Your prayer life is a life-long journey, not a destination.
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Prayer should be focused on hearing God, so don't worry about saying the "right" words. John Wesley, believed that even the yearning to begin prayer comes from God, so God already knows what is on your heart. Rather than relating to God something new, prayer opens and widens the connection with God, so that we can feel God's presence. God already knows what is on our hearts, but by saying it and naming it we offer it to God with honesty and transparency. We say to God, "I acknowledge willingly these concerns." In doing so, you invite God into the process of facing your concerns and overcoming them.
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If you need help in getting started, here are two things to try. The first is a simple breath prayer. It is called that because you say the words as you breath. Below is an example, but you can change the words to fit your particular situation. When you change the words, try to keep the phrases short so that you can easily say them in a single breath.
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As you breath in, say (audibly or silently) a name for God such as "Gracious and Loving God."
As you breath out, say (audibly or silently) your request to God such as "Grant me peace."
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If you are not sure what to say to God, then I suggest saying the Lord's Prayer. This is the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray. It is the same prayer that most churches say every Sunday.
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Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us, this day, our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.