1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV): “Pray without ceasing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ICB): “Never stop praying.”
I was watching something recently—I don’t even remember what it was. I think it was Crazy Love by Rev. Edward Ondachi. He said something that really struck me: The reason we struggle to pray is because we have already told everyone else what we should have been telling God. That thought stayed with me.
Think about it. When you have a problem, the first thing you do is call your friends. You update them, you process your emotions, you vent. You spend hours talking about what’s bothering you, and by the time you go to pray, there’s nothing left to say. You’ve emptied your heart to people, so when you finally come before God, your prayers feel dry, rushed, or shallow. You don’t even feel the need to linger in His presence because you’ve already found relief in human conversations. That realization hit me hard because I love deep conversations with my friends. I love catching up, sharing my heart, and feeling heard. But what I never considered was how much I was bypassing God in the process.
Talking to friends is not a bad thing. We all need community. But if you want to truly grow in prayer, you must learn to go to God first before you go to people. When you do, your prayers will change. You will find yourself praying about everything—your joys, your fears, your frustrations—and you will experience the power of hearing from God firsthand. He may speak through a verse that suddenly comes to mind. He may whisper truth into your heart. But one thing is certain: You will not leave His presence the same way you came.
I know this because I have sought God concerning my struggles, and I have found Him. I have poured my heart out to Him about my fears, and He has given me peace. I have gone to Him broken, and He has put me back together. My relationship with Him is so precious to me that I never want to grieve the Holy Spirit. Every decision I make, every conversation I have, every path I take—I want it to be led by Him. That’s why I feel so much peace in my life. It’s not because I have everything figured out, but because I have learned to take everything to God.
Today, I’m not feeling too well. Last night, just as I was going to sleep, I suddenly felt the onset of a sore throat. So today, I won’t be sharing much on video because I need to rest. But I needed to say this: Learn to take your burdens to God before you take them to your friends. Because not all your friends truly care about you. Some will listen with love, but others will judge, misunderstand, or even gossip about you later. But Jesus—Jesus will take that heavy burden off your shoulders. He will carry the weight that no human friend can carry.
That is how you build a real prayer life.
Sometimes, I lock myself in my room for an entire day, just talking to God. No distractions. No outside noise. Just me and Him. I update Him about my life, I ask Him questions, I wait for His voice. And that is what it means to pray without ceasing—to live in constant communion with Him, where He is the first person you turn to in every situation.
Make God your best friend. Tell Him everything.
Have a beautiful day, and remember: “Cast all your cares and burdens unto the Lord, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)