How I Pray Without Ceasing

Jesus loves it when you talk to Him.

When I was re-baptized at Huntington Beach, California in the summer of 2021, a friend prayed over me and said this:

Jesus loves it when you talk to Him, so keep talking to Him. He wants you to share everything.

So, I do. I share everything. I talk about my day, I tell Him what I am grateful for, I tell Him what I love about Him, I ask Him for help and guidance with everything.

And I mean everything.

I ask Him to help me grow in faith, manage my finances better, find a workout program that is best for me, find a husband, buy a house, enjoy mundane things like cleaning the house, and I even ask Him to help me remember to ask Him for help.

I used to think He gets bored with my constant blabbing, for surely He has better things to do, right? But now I know He loves it because I am His daughter.

And talking to God about everything has changed my life.

Think about it–what did God do with Adam and Eve in the Garden? He walked and talked with them. This is what we were created for–intimacy and communion with our Creator.

What does it really mean to pray without ceasing?

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

Rejoice always.

Pray always.

Give thanks always.

These are pretty extreme instructions, don’t you think? Most people would agree that life is busy and life is hard, surely we are not expected to rejoice, pray, and give thanks, always?

But, if I am always a believer, and God is always good, do I not always have reason to rejoice, pray, and give thanks?

Yes!

I have learned that praying without ceasing means to live my life in communion with God.

It means I enjoy a constant awareness of His presence, and I believe He loves me no matter my circumstance.

It means that I actually trust Him enough to go to Him about everything.

man and girl sitting on brown dock near boat and two white ducks during daytime
Photo by Caleb Jones / Unsplash

Praying without ceasing is living as a child of God.

What do children do a lot? They talk. When children are with a parent or someone they are comfortable with, they talk about everything that comes to mind, and they ask questions. SO many questions!

When I was little, I was a talker (and I still am). I would often say to my dad, “Hey daddy, let’s talk!” It is still one of my favorite things to do, and it always leads to the best conversations.

So often I think we view God as this ethereal far away being, but He is more real and more loving than even the most loving earthly father.

Start relating to God like He is your Best Friend and loving Father.

There is nothing you could share or ask Him that would be too big, too small, too wrong, or too right. God can handle it all, and believing this has changed my life.

When I pray without ceasing, I live in His peace, grace, and joy without ceasing.

  • In my single season before God brought my husband into my life,
  • In my 9–5 job when my desire is to be a homemaker,
  • When I moved across the country to get married,
  • When I am unsure how all the bills are going to get paid,
  • In the middle of a Kentucky tornado watch,

I have peace, I find rest in His grace, and I have joy.

Share and surrender.

Pray without ceasing and talk to God about everything. Let Him into your world so that He can transform it. Share and surrender. Surrender is where you will finally experience unexplainable peace, rest, and joy.

The struggles and trials of life are not your burden to bear.

If you are not sure of how or where to start, simply ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray without ceasing–you do not have to do it on your own strength. Ask Him to help you surrender. He will answer.