Pray Continually

It's been a while since I've posted anything on here, and there is far too much for me to say to possibly catch up on everything that has happened over the past two months. So I'll just cut to the chase and talk about what's happening today and what's been on my mind this week.

Prayer.

One of the board members of The Forge came in to talk to the staff about the significance and power of prayer for two weeks in a row. These meetings reminded me of the simple truth that I have been aware of for the past several years, although it is a truth I too often forget: prayer matters, and prayer works.

So often I get caught up in the busyness of day to day life and I fool myself into thinking that I don't have time for true prayer. I fool myself into thinking that I need to sit down and commit big chunks of time to communing with God in order to pray at all. How am I able to forget so often what 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says? In fact, there is so much truth in the entire chapter of 1 Thessalonians 5 that I will share most of it here:

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject whatever is harmful.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.                                                       [1 Thessalonians 5:8-24]

So with this on my heart and mind recently, I have been working toward praying continually. How sweet it is to be in communion with God, and why would I not desire to experience this constantly?

Please join with me in this journey of praying with greater frequency and with greater fervor and boldness. I am praying for growth in my faith, and so I am praying for bigger and bolder things, and I am working on trusting God fully to answer these prayers when they are prayed in accordance with His will.

Join with me in praying for those who do not have the voice or the will to pray for themselves.