Whoever heard of prayer without ceasing? Didn’t the Apostle Paul, who wrote these words, know that this is an impossible command to live out in a busy world? Just think of what his schedule might have been like on a typical day: studying for his next sermon; making preparations for the next missionary trip; writing letters to follow up on all the new churches; purchasing materials to support his tent-making trade; visiting with people in the area and inviting them to join him at the synagogue for worship; and, of course, carving out time to eat and get some rest. Paul’s schedule didn’t allow much time for prayer. Or did it?

Several times in Paul’s writings, he went out of his way to tell the Christians he always prayed for them. How did he fit prayer into his schedule and what’s more, how did he pray for these people all the time? The answer is simple. Paul lived in a spirit of prayer. He wasn’t on his knees 24/7, but he learned to constantly keep people and issues before God. The greater the variety of work and the more work he had, the easier it was for him to pray. God wants us to do the same.

You may be reading this in the morning and preparing for a new day, or you could be reading this in the evening and thinking about what tomorrow holds. Don’t let the busyness of your business keep you from sharing your burdens with God. Talk to Him about your worries, fears, frustrations, needs, goals, ambitions, and desires — as often as they come up. Instead of robbing you of your time, you will find that prayer helps you to accomplish the things on your to-do list and to get through each challenge with a better attitude. No one is too busy to pray. If anything, we’re too busy not to pray. Give it a try today.