Why Prayer Can’t Be Optional - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - January 21, 2026
“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right”--1 Samuel 12:23
Many of us as Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, seem to take a somewhat cavalier approach to prayer, seeing it as something to fit in when possible, considering it to be optional for us as to how much we pray, if we pray at all, and what we pray for, thinking God is okay with that.
Yet throughout the Bible, it’s clear that God calls us to pray and not just at special events or when we feel like it, but continually. As the Apostle Paul urges in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray continually.”
How Is It Possible to Pray Continually?
Depending on our views on where prayer needs to take place, we want to consider and realize that God is much more interested in us praying than our location, what we’re wearing, and even who is around us when we pray.
Even though Jesus says in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your unseen Father. Then Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Jesus isn’t trying to discourage continual prayer, but instead teaching the crowds to pray to God, rather than put on a show for others to see. He’s contrasting it with the prayers of those, the self-righteous, religious leaders of the day, who were seeking recognition and praise from people, rather than a relationship with God.
As Jesus addressed in Matthew 6:5, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Honestly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full. So, although this can seem confusing to some, wondering if it’s okay to pray wherever we are, this verse isn’t limiting us to a prayer closet.
We Can Pray to God Wherever We Are
Additionally, Psalm 139:7-12 explains that there is nowhere we can go where we’ll lose the ability to talk to God.
“Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me’— even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You.”
Called to Pray for One Another
As well, Paul in Ephesians 6:18 encourages, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
We are called to pray for one another. Still, many of us may not realize that prayerlessness is a sin, as stated in 1 Samuel 12:23. Failing to pray for one another is indeed a sinful act.
How to Leave Prayerlessness Behind
Still, how do we pray when our lives are filled with work, family, and even church responsibilities, which consume our hours and days, leaving us little time to stop and pray?
The following are five ways to overcome prayerlessness.
1. Confess our sin. Before approaching God with prayer, we confess our sin to Him, of our lack of worship, and receive His forgiveness.
2. Commit to prayer. If we set our hearts on praying, we will find the time to do so. Unlike some may think, we don’t have to wait until we’re alone or in a prayer closet to talk to God.
3. Ask God to help us pray. Our campaign against prayerlessness can begin with our own prayers to God, with a sincere heart, asking Him to help us pray.
We can pray to Him while getting ready in the morning, while cooking breakfast, as we drive to work, and throughout our day as we fulfill our responsibilities. It can be a running conversation with God throughout our day.
4. Refuse to be prayerless. If trying leads us back to prayerlessness, don’t stop trying, keep seeking to pray, and refuse to let prayerlessness have a place in our lives.
5. Resist Opposition. We can pretty much count on it that if we decide to pray, the enemy of our souls is going to fire up an all-out campaign against us, hoping to stop us in our tracks by setting up mindsets and situations that try to trip us up and keep us from praying. When he does, we want to set our hearts to be resilient to his attempts to stop us.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father, help us today to commit to praying, asking You for help, and refusing prayerlessness, as we resist the opposition that comes when we set our hearts and minds on praying for one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Photo credit: Getty Images/Khanchit Khirisutchalual
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
Related Resource: Spiritual Warfare: The Unseen Battle
There is a very real battle we face as believers: spiritual warfare. Yet, some Christians run from it in fear, while others completely dismiss it. How do we understand it biblically and approach it with wisdom? My friend, Joel Muddamalle, joins me today to discuss all there is to know about it in today's episode! Like what you hear? Subscribe to Bought + Beloved with Kirby Kelly on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
