Your Prayers Don’t Have to End
By Rick Warren
"Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion." Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)
Did you know that you don’t have to end your prayers with “In Jesus’ name. Amen”? In fact, you don’t have to stop praying at all.
Prayer is a running conversation with God. It never has to end! You just talk to him like you would a friend or a loving Father. If something comes up, you talk to God about it. Then, maybe a minute or two goes by, and you talk to him about something else.
If you did not breathe, you would die. Prayer is spiritual breathing. You don't think about breathing—you just do it. In the same way, prayer needs to become so natural that you don't even think about it.
Right now, you may have to think to pray. But you can develop a habit of praying, where you don't even have to think about doing it or what you’re going to say.
You’re good at talking to yourself. You talk to yourself about everything you experience—all the time! Start talking to God instead. To pray conversationally, you just talk to God about whatever you're interested in at that particular moment.
"Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion" (Ephesians 6:18 NLT).
That means you can talk to God anywhere, anytime, about anything, as the Spirit leads. When you get an impression, pray about it!
Maybe you’re thinking that you often don’t feel like praying, because you don’t know what to say. But if you don't feel like praying, it means you’re not praying what you feel.
When you don't feel like praying, it means you're praying about the wrong thing. God isn't interested in what you're not interested in. God already knows everything in your life. He just wants you to talk to him, like a father or a mother longs to have their children talk to them.
Keep a conversation with God going throughout your day. Talk to him about what you’re feeling, and you’ll feel like praying a lot more.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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