Click here if you missed Part I of Pray Without Ceasing, or the Prequel, The Fertile Soil of Prayer.
Here are the next three tips on how to realistically pray without ceasing.
4. Let Your Actions Be Prayers.
1 Cor. 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” The best way I can find to apply this verse is to pray during everything you do. Offer your actions to God.
Brother Lawrence (The Practice of The Presence of God): “The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.”
If we are acting out something that we’ve been praying about, it is a continuation of that prayer. If I pray, “God please be with Adam who’s mom just died,” and then I give Adam a call to encourage him and be a listening ear, isn’t that basically turning my prayer into an action?” But simple actions can be prayers, too… “practical prayer” – acting on your prayer.
5. Make Prayer A Priority
Martin Luther once said, “I have so much to do today that I shall never get through it with less than three hours’ prayer.” Charles Spurgeon says “[Luther] had not been accustomed to take so much time for prayer on ordinary days, but since that was a busy day, he must have more communion with his God. But, perhaps, our occupations begin early, and we therefore say, “How can I get alone with God in prayer?” … If we have no time we must make time, for if God has given us time for secondary duties, he must have given us time for primary ones, and to draw near to him is a primary duty, and we must let nothing set it on aside…. God can multiply our ability to make use of time. If we give the Lord his due, we shall have enough for all necessary purposes. In this matter seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Your other engagements will run smoothly if you do not forget your engagement with God.”
6. Daydream About Heaven
Have you ever planned a vacation several weeks in advance, and you spend those weeks looking forward to the trip? You just can’t wait to go, and you find yourself daydreaming about it and wondering what it’s going to be like? Picturing the white-sand beaches, or the perfect snowboarding powder and no lines on the lifts, or the glassy morning water you’ll be waterskiing on? Well, I want to remind you about an incredible adventure in store for you. One that will exceed your wildest dreams! A true paradise! It’s called Heaven. I recommend thinking about Heaven. Picture what it’s going to be like. Read the book “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn. When I read it, I couldn’t stop thinking about Heaven all throughout the days. It was very much like daydreaming about an upcoming vacation. It was awesome! I was daydreaming without ceasing. That’s absolutely a prayer!
My next post will be the conclusion of this series on prayer, with the final two tips on how to realistically pray without ceasing. These final two are really the heart of what I want to say, so make sure you don’t miss it!
