We live in a house with four floors of living and office space. Though running up and down stairs is great for the body, sometimes the body just doesn’t want to be bothered with them. So instead we shout up the stairs: “Time for homework.” “Mom, I’m leaving.” “Dinner is ready.” “Can I take the dog for a walk?” You get the idea. Without an intercom, my children and I sometimes resort to hollering at each other in order to communicate.
But God rarely hollers. Take prayer. When is the last time God shouted at you to sit down and pray right now—or else?
Even though prayer is essential to living a vital Christian faith, it may also be the first thing to slip from your schedule. Everything else seems more urgent. The children are late for school. Your spouse is sick. The toilet overflowed again. Your boss wants that report right now. And it’s only eight o’clock in the morning. In the midst of a hectic life, how can you drop everything and pray? One thing you can do is learn how to pray continually, as Paul advised, saying,
Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).
Even if you don’t have time to sit down and pray for a half hour each morning, you can pray on the go: “Lord, please heal my husband.” “Let me be your servant today.” “Give me wisdom for handling that report.” “Thank you for blue skies and a family that loves me.” Simple prayers can help orient you to the Father who loves you rather than to your troubles. Once the clamor finally subsides, consider what you can do to streamline your life so you can find time to read God’s Word and listen for his voice.
