What’s Prayer Look Like in Your Everyday Life
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving…” (Colossians 4:2) “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) (And many more)
God has been speaking to my heart recently about spending more time with Him in my life’s daily journey.
Sometimes when the Holy Spirit is bugging me about something, I am led share it.
Why…
Because I’ve found that if I’m dealing with an issue, there are often other folks dealing with it too.
So…
On this matter…
I really do believe God loves it when we spend individual, undivided time in prayer with Him… i.e. prayer closet time.
Time that is specifically dedicated to Him and for Him.
However…
If that is the only time He gets, then just maybe, we haven’t allowed His presence to live in our hearts as He fully intended.
So…
This prompted the question:
Where and when can I pray besides those arranged quiet times alone with God?
In other words…
When our families are engaged in those especially busy seasons….
When we are working… trying to make that latest, pressing deadline… When we have to take care of our homes, our cars, or even that pesky, consuming “tech” we carry with us all the time… Whatever God has entrusted us with…
So…
Where and when can we pray?
Can we simply have a prayerful conversation with God wherever we are?
Let me share a simple story with you.
There was a time some years ago when I was working in Xi’an China.
A rather busy small Chinese city of 7.9 million people… even though my residence was in the “smaller” internal village of Xi’an called Dianzicheng (about 1 million residents).
Daily communications at work in the city was intense… as was general life because it was always in Chinese… For, you see, I was one of only 5 english speaking expats in that area of Xi’an.
I also found it difficult to find a quiet place to spend “quality” time with my Lord… as the noise of millions and millions of city folk can be rather deafening.
Each day, it was a challenge to whittle out prayerful moments in the crazy… busy schedule that was life in China.
So…
I began to complain to God… asking The Holy Spirit to tell me… show me how and where to find a place to daily pray while in the city.
His answer kind of startled me…
“You know… daily you walk most places as you do not have a car and your directions to the taxi drivers is less that precise. Therefore, while you walk along the sidewalks to your appointments, offer a silent prayer for the people you see walking near you.”
I thought… sure… but which ones, there are sure lot’s of them… He responded… “Let’s start with people carrying babies”… I thought… hum… I see a number of them along the way.
Who else, I inquired…
“Let’s keep it simple for now… I want to show you the power of silent prayer in busy, noisy environments.”
So, the next morning while walking… I did as instructed… Soon I saw a mother carrying a baby on her shoulder… As I began to silently pray for the baby being carried in front of me, something amazing happened… the baby jumped, raised its head and turned to look directly at me… and smiled.
Wow…
That morning… time and again, the same reaction.
I pushed the envelope a bit on the way back in the afternoon… silently praying for any child I saw along the way… each time… they would turn and smile.
For, you see… the Holy Spirit blesses each of us with many, many opportunities for prayer.
So…
How about your opportunities for prayer…
In the grocery or other shopping line… Has He placed someone near you to pray for?
In the kitchen of your home… yep… while stirring the pot.
Maybe while driving… lift up some of those wonderful windshield prayers… But, don’t get too carried away with this one or you might miss a turn.
Not that I’ve ever been known to do that.
Maybe while heading to your desk or cubicle at work… pray for those along the isle or even the empty chairs that will soon be occupied.
Or maybe when you first awake… “Lord, give me strength to live for You and glorify Your Name.”
And, at night… Why not fall asleep while praying.
Somehow, I don’t think God is offended at that one bit.
In fact, I think He loves it.
So…
How about you?
I know you have some times and places that work for you… Why not, share them with others.
So…
Where do you find time to pray?
Y’a know… it’s ok to pray to God anywhere at any time.
Draw Close… He is Near.