“Consistent Prayer”

Saturday, May 10, 2025

“Pray without ceasing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Several weeks ago we addressed the challenge of being more consistent in prayer. We noted how the early church was “devoted to prayer” (Acts 2:42) and that disciples are commanded to “continue steadfastly in prayer” (Col. 4:2), “be constant in prayer” (Rom. 12:12) and “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).

In the lesson, we focused on three important concepts that help with this consistency: knowing God in prayer (the foundation of prayer is biblical knowledge of God), trusting God in prayer (the key to prayer is obedient faith in God) and engaging God in prayer (the pattern of prayer is daily contact with God). It might be time for a reminder so let’s review the last point about engaging God in prayer.

First, it is important we recognize our weakness. Jesus knows that while our spirit may be willing, our flesh is weak (Mk. 14:38). In that same context, he commands his disciples (twice) to “pray that you may not enter temptation” (Lk. 22:40, 46). The solution to giving into temptation is prayer. Despite his earlier warnings (31-34) and the command to pray (40), Peter failed to pray in the garden (45-46). This explains his denials of Jesus later that night which ended with him in bitter tears (54-62). Peter is restored afterwards, but his example reminds us of our great need for prayer. If Jesus was in constant communication with his Father (39), how much more ought we to pray?

Staying consistent in prayer keeps us from following our own will, overestimating ourselves and relying on our own resources. When we are praying, we are seeking to do God’s will, trusting in God’s wisdom and relying on God’s resources. We must recognize that our hearts are prone to wander and that our flesh is weak. There is sense of danger that is always present in the life of a Christian. Therefore, we must “pray without ceasing.” Prayer strengthens us for the trials that are coming. In contrast to Peter, Jesus triumphed over temptation during his trial because he did not fail to pray in the garden.

Second, we ought to vary our approach. Our prayer life should adapt to the ever-changing circumstances of life. Paul illustrates the variety of prayers we can offer in 1 Timothy 2:1. In “supplication” we bring our personal needs to God, asking him to intervene on our behalf. In “intercession" we bring the needs of others to God, asking him to intervene on their behalf. “Thanksgivings” are prayers of gratitude and praise. There are plenty of others as well—prayers of adoration (Psa. 148:13), confession of sin (32:5), commitment (1 Sam. 1:10-11), imprecation (Psa. 7), physical healing (Jas. 5:14-15), spiritual deliverance (Psa. 107:6) and transformation (139:23-24).

The point is, there’s nothing wrong with repeating the same prayer, but we need to guard against vain repetition (Mt. 6:7). If you find your prayer life has gotten stale or that you’re slipping into a mindless ritual when you pray, look to God’s word to see the wide variety of prayers you can offer and use them as a guide.

For example, the book of Psalms is a readymade book of prayers. You can use the Psalms to guide your words and keep your mind from wandering. First, simply read the psalm. Then meditate on it for a few moments, savoring the words and turning the phrases over in your mind. Finally, appropriate the concepts of the psalm into your prayer, personalizing it for your situation. This will add depth and variety to your prayer life. It will get you out of your comfort zone to pray about things you normally wouldn’t think to pray about.

Finally, we need to create a routine. There’s certainly nothing wrong with spontaneous prayer, but if we don’t prioritize and schedule prayer we may find that we pray less often. To help with this, we can get specific by creating a schedule for prayer. In this schedule we can set measurable goals such as praying for at least 10 minutes and using a text to act as a guide. We can choose a specific time and place best suited for our purpose. Scheduling prayer doesn’t limit prayer or erase spontaneity, it gives priority to it. This is how habits are formed (consider the example Daniel, Dan. 6:10). A sample schedule is provided below.

Staying consistent also requires having realistic expectations. A perfectionist mindset can lead to discouragement and failure. There will be times when we fail to be as consistent in prayer as we should. God knows we are weak (Mk. 14:38), but instead of allowing us to quit, he encourages us to turn to him for forgiveness and new strength (1 Jn. 1:5-10). Remember, having a few off-days does not negate the other on-days. Just keep praying.

Finally, staying consistent means living one day at a time. Developing a new habit can be overwhelming. But the Lord reminds us, “do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Mt. 6:34) Jesus isn’t discouraging planning for the future. He’s stressing the importance of having a present faith. Our devotion to God in prayer is a daily decision. It is not a choice made only once  in the past, but one that must be made “today” and every day. “Pray without ceasing.”

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