Continual Prayer

 

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 ESV).

 

Our reading today is full of the examples of disciplines to be employed in our walk. One in particular stands out for me today. It is at the end of the list as the apostle tells us to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances” (vv. 16-18). Throughout history, Christians have developed practices that help them grow in their walk with God. These are what I am calling “spiritual disciplines.” The list of potential disciplines could grow to a point where we might feel we could never do enough. However, we should remember that our behaviors are determined by our thinking. Prayer is not a behavior, but a pattern of thought. It is not merely something to da; it is who we must be.

 

The purpose of developing spiritual disciplines is not to add accomplishments to our spiritual resumes; nor is it to begin behaving differently. If we believe that we somehow might earn credit in God’s eyes by mastering a list of spiritual disciplines, we misunderstand how these practices are beneficial. They are not ends in themselves but simply a means to help us grow nearer to God.

 

In our text for today, the Bible calls us to “pray continually.” This statement teaches us that prayer is the primary habit that we seek to develop in order to grow nearer to God.

Some of the people I admire for their spiritual maturity have never fasted. Some are not good at memorizing Scripture passages. Yet every person I think of as a mentor in my walk with God has developed the practice of seeking God in every circumstance and experience of life. Spiritual disciplines make us aware of God’s presence, and there is probably no clearer way to acknowledge his presence in all of our journey through this life. When we learn to actually notice God speaking to us regardless of where we are or what we are doing, then we can have a conversation with Him. Intentional, specific prayer is fine, but there is so much more to a growing relationship with the Lord. Begin to practice that kind of prayer in your life.