January 9 | Get a Life, a Prayer Life
1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray continually…”
Have you ever been around other Christians, been asked to pray and felt embarrassed because you didn’t feel your prayers were as good as everyone else’s? If so, I’ve got great news for you. All the prayers of the upright are meaningful and special to God no matter how they sound in the ears of man (Proverbs 15:8). Never let public prayer become an opportunity for the devil to make you feel embarrassed. Your prayers are a great source of blessing to yourself and those around you.
At the same time, we as Christians should always be in a place of spiritual growth and development — especially in the area of prayer (1 Peter 2:2). I should know more about God, today, than when I first received salvation, because I have spent more time with Him praying and hearing His voice. Just as when I got married, I didn’t know my wife, as well as, I do now after many years of marriage. The same is true with God and prayer. The more time you spend in prayer with God, the more you learn about His heart and attributes. Also, the more time you spend praying, in private, the more confident and fearless you will be to pray in public, because prayer is always for an audience of one — God.
Avoid thinking of prayer as something you “have” to do for a certain time each day (like a chore); rather see prayer as part of all your life that you get the “privilege” to do. Make prayer your lifestyle, by thinking and meditating on God whenever you can and as often as you can. For example, when you’re on the job and asked to do an important assignment, pray to God in your heart, “God, I ask you to give me the wisdom and the strength I need to succeed at this task.” God is waiting for you to invite Him into your daily life and to seek His will. Then, when someone else brings a need to your attention, you can instantly pray aloud with boldness and faith.
Don’t be deceived by Roman Catholic priests who have falsely taught, since the dark ages, that people should recite certain prayers at specific times of the day to please God. Instead, believe and practice what Jesus said in Matthew 6:7. He said we weren’t to pray powerless prayers, over and over again, but to address God, as our Father, and make our needs known to Him in Jesus’ name. Praying is not to please man or make us look more spiritual to impress others.
Prayer is God’s way of having a deep and meaningful, intimate relationship with us.
A.W. Tozer wrote, “Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian.” Decide each day to stay in continual fellowship with God through the simple act of prayer!
Reflection
Action
- If you have been afraid to pray in public, repent of the fear of man.
- Ask God to give you boldness, and the words to speak, when called upon to pray.
- Stay in continual fellowship with God through private prayer and be confident to pray publicly when needed.