Praying Always…
By: Deban Becker - Dallas, TX
Covered from our temples to our toes in the whole armor of God, we, dear sisters, stand strong, mighty, and filled with grit to face the uncertainty of the day. In Ephesians 6:17, Paul invites us to take up the sword of the Spirit, God’s Word, and now in verse 18, he gives us another weapon – prayer. “Praying always…”, “Praying at all times”, “with all prayer”, “always pray” – various versions of this phrase is how God-breathed scripture sets us to task.
How does this look in practice, on a daily basis, and personally in our lives? And what is the key to establishing “praying always” as a consistent part of our daily walk?
First and foremost, our prayer must be focused on glorifying God. God is at the center of our prayer life. Prayer is about God, not us. We should do our best to make it about what God has done for us more than what God can do for us. We must intertwine our praise for Him and pray with our hearts more than our heads. God in His omniscience knows our hearts, sweet sisters, and He wants to hear from the depths of our gratefulness, fears, and desires. God endowed us with prayer to commune with Him, and we should unwrap this gift daily in our lives.
A constant, consistent attitude toward prayer means looking for ways to “pray always” in our daily life. From the moment we wake, we can begin the day with a prayer of thankfulness in glory to Him. Prayer is our first and best option to begin our days. It should not be treated as a last resort. As Jeremiah 10:10 tells us, we should praise our Lord for He “is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King” who is faithful to His promises. Let God be the “sponge” that soaks up your worry and allow Him to switch your focus onto His Will. Practically speaking, “early-start” prayers could be said before your feet touch the floor, in the shower, and/or during your morning commute. God in His omnipresence hears!
Confession, naming our sin and asking God for forgiveness, is also a part of our “praying always” mindset. Are you struggling to find the good in someone? Instead of outwardly venting our frustrations, pray to love them despite the fault you perceive or the sin in their life. When they continually come to your mind, “pray always” for them. What triggers you to think of them? If it is something tangible, use this to “remind” you to pray for them.
This works well in our own lives too. Is there a sin in your life you are trying to overcome? Allow this temptation to be a trigger for good rather than for evil. This can work in another aspect of our prayer life - intercession, asking God to work in the life of someone else. For example, when I come across a set of knives I purchased, I remember the young man I bought them from and I pray for him. I use these knives daily in my kitchen, thus, I am “praying always” for this young man.
“Praying always” starts with glorifying Him. Our God is bigger than any obstacle we may face, and he has equipped us with the mighty communication tool of prayer. Praise Him for helping us drive out the enemy Satan and filling our hearts with joy. We can become “praying always” warriors. God listens when we pray, and His victory is sure. Let us set in our hearts an intention to continually look for ways to have a prayerful mindset throughout our days.