Bible Question:
How can I pray without ceasing? I am praying for my marriage. My husband and I are currently separated, we have two children, and I am praying that God will renew our marriage. If it is pleasing to Him.
Bible Answer:
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tell us to pray that way in 1 Thess. 5:17,
. . . pray without ceasing . . . (NASB) 1 Thess. 5:17
The Meaning
The key word in the passage is “ceasing.” That is your real question. The Greek word for the phrase “without ceasing” is adialaiptos and it means to have an attitude of “constantly” or “unceasingly” praying. The word does not mean that one must always be praying and never stop. We know this is true since there is another Greek word which means “to not stop” or “never cease.” The Holy Spirit avoided that word and used adialaiptos.
The Application
This means that the Holy Spirit wants us to be constantly in an attitude of prayer. He is not telling us to start praying and never stop. This means that after we wake up in the morning we should pray and then pray through the day as different issues, opportunities, and people come our way. It means we should be frequently talking to God throughout the day about our concerns and joys.
Conclusion
Our God wants us to talk with Him and He answers back! Will God answer your prayer? Yes, He will, but His response may be, “No!” He encourages us to ask Him. In James 4:2 we are told that “you do not have because you do not ask.” So ask Him and see if this would be a good gift for you. God only gives us what is good for us. Praise the Lord.