Pray Without Ceasing - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - June 13
By: Michelle S. Lazurek
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
I've been a pastor's wife for twenty-three years. In year seven of our ministry time, my husband felt called to plant a church. Though I was not in unity about this decision, I submitted to him, and we forged ahead with this idea. Little did I know those would be some of the leanest years of our lives. We often got behind on bills and had little to eat. There were times when my husband stepped away from the table because there was not enough food to eat. All we had was each other and the Lord.
One day, after a particularly frustrating season of watching very few people enter our church building, I went to the Lord and cried out to him. "Lord, why are you not growing us? Why are new people not coming to our church?" I asked. Although I never received a direct answer from the Lord on that question, I knew He was calling me to pray.
I had prayed but hadn't prayed with urgency. In this time of struggle, I learned how to pray without ceasing. In the early years of my spiritual journey, I learned that every Christian should have a quiet time. This was a particular amount of time designated for prayer in the morning or the evening. I practiced reading my Bible and praying quickly in the morning. But then I went about my day, not thinking about God at all. It was as if I had placed him in a spiritual box. I only belonged to him within the hours of 7:00 and 7:30 AM; the rest of the time, I became a part of the world. Yet, God wanted to use that season to teach me how to pray without ceasing.
To be honest, I didn't know if I was doing it correctly. Every time I thought about the church plant I prayed. Every time I thought about a person attending the church, I prayed. Every time I thought about someone who had left the church I prayed. Above all, I prayed for endurance and strength for my husband, who was also growing weary during this season. I prayed for our family that he would provide for us. I prayed blessings on our children who were young at the time.
I wish I could say that because of my obedience to praying without ceasing, the Lord grew our church plant, and we were able to plant many other churches because of it. Unfortunately, that was not God's will for us. After 5 1/2 years of struggling financially and watching people come and go from our church, it was time to close our doors. It was a difficult season not only in our ministry, but also in our marriage. Sometimes, I still wonder why God called me to pray without ceasing for that church plant only to have it close its doors.
In the years since then, I have learned one thing: our prayers are not to get something; their purpose is to achieve intimacy with God. My prayers didn't achieve what I wanted them to. We didn't gain prosperity, popularity, or fame. Instead, we achieved something greater: a closeness with my Savior that I had not had in years past.
Our prayers, especially those as a married couple, are there to change us. They're not always there to achieve or gain any advancement in the world. Although there are times when God will give us what we ask for, that is not the ultimate result of our prayers. Our prayers are merely to be intimate with God. We come together in his presence simply to be in his presence. I may never understand why God had us do that church plant on this side of earth. But I do know that during that time, the Lord grew my intimacy with him exponentially, and I am forever grateful for that lesson.
Father, help us learn how to pray without ceasing. Allow our thoughts to focus on you throughout the day rather than on the cares of the world. Remind us who you are throughout the day. Let us be in tune with your Spirit to see you at work. Allow us not to simply place ourselves in a religious box, doing our devotions for half an hour a day. Instead, let our whole lives be wrapped up in an intimate relationship with you. Amen.
Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise
How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
