My Utmost Journal - May 26th

My Utmost For His Highest

Pray without ceasing.
~1 Thessalonians 5:17

Prayer has always been a struggle for me. I don't have any problems with the idea of prayer, simply the practice of it. With my knowledge of the power of prayer, it should be pretty easy for me to "pray without ceasing." But it doesn't quite translate that way in my life. If you knew how rarely I actually prayed, I am positive you would be surprised. I try. I really do. Every time I think about it, I pray. When someone asks me to pray for them, I say a quick prayer right then and there in case I forget later.

I definitely do not pray without ceasing.


We think rightly or wrongly about prayer according to the conception we have in our minds of prayer. If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly; we are not conscious of it, but it is always going on.

I love this way of thinking. It's not "I pray when I start with 'Dear God' and finish with 'Amen.'" It happens continually throughout the day and I may not even notice it is happening. That is the ideal conversation with God.

Just because we say the word 'Amen' doesn't mean this conversation needs to end.
~Steven Curtis Chapman, Let Us Pray


If nothing else, this points out an obvious area in my spiritual life that can use attention. Growing room, so to speak.


Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life.


Read the bible in a year. Daily readings: 1 Chronicles 28-29; John 9:24-41

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