1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without Ceasing.” This was a verse, growing up, that was always kind of a struggle for me. I struggled with it because it confused me on how my prayer life was supposed look. Every time I thought about this verse, it made me think I wasn’t praying enough everyday. Was I supposed to just lock my self in my room every minute of everyday and just sit in prayer? Was I supposed to constantly be in prayer when I was driving or when I was speaking with friends? Should I be spending time reading a book or playing games with my family or put those things aside to pray? Well over the years of pondering this uncertainty and seeking answers from the Lord, He made some things very clear to me. He most certainly does not want us to spend every waking minute in our rooms praying, but that quiet time with Him is very beneficial and He can show us many really incredible things when we do. I find that a nice balance makes a big difference in my spiritual walk. Another thing God has showed me is the importance of putting Him first in all thoughts and plans. When I see the words, “pray without ceasing,” I many times only think of kneeling and praying before Him in my room or quiet place, but I think putting God in the forefront of your thoughts is really what Paul was saying in this verse. So many times we make decisions quickly and without hesitation when we really need to take them to the Lord first. I don’t believe this verse is simply telling us to hide away in prayer everyday for the rest of our lives, but it is deeper than that. We need to remember to put God first in our heart and our mind and do that without ceasing every day. God bless!
By: Pastor Kevin Troyer
