Pray Without Ceasing! How Does That Work?!

June 6, 2018 by Carrell Jamilano (California)
Carrell and her husband praying at their wedding

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NRSV). 

The exhortation to "pray without ceasing" has always been a daunting one for me. Whenever I hear it at mass, I find myself pondering, Does God really want us to be on our knees in prayer at every moment of the day? What about when I'm hungry and need to eat?! What if I'm at school and needing to pay attention to my professor? What if I'm at work? Am I not allowed to sleep?! Good gracious! What an impractical command! Have you ever thought similarly? 

If our idea of prayer is only to mind-numbingly repeat words, "praying without ceasing" is a practice that no one could ever fulfill. However, that is not what prayer is. Prayer is simply spending time with God. What do we do when we are spending time with our friends? We talk, listen, go to the movies, eat, and the list goes on. To pray without ceasing can be best expressed as allowing God to be a part of every moment of our lives. Why should we do this? Because God desires to take part in it all. Yes, every moment. God wants to be with you, to love you, and to talk to you. God wants to know about your day, to laugh with you and cry with you. God wants to be at work with you and be where you are, because God loves you that much!  

How do we respond to such a love like this? How do we allow God to take part in every moment of our lives? How do we "pray without ceasing?" It is easier than we think! God, the Holy Spirit, is already dwelling within each heart. So, it becomes a matter of calling upon and sharing each moment of our lives with God.   

When you wake up, ask God to be with you and help you throughout the day. When you eat, thank God for the blessing of having food to sustain you. When you drive to work, ask God to bless all those who are traveling a long distance, especially refugees and immigrants. When you are exercising, call to mind that your body is truly sacred and made in God's image. When you are with friends or with others, ask God to allow love and mercy to shine through you. When you are at work, observe how God may be speaking to you through your co-workers, clients, and supervisors.

Each moment of the day is an opportunity for you to invite God to take part in your life, and more importantly, for you to encounter God in the people you are with and the experiences you have throughout the day.   

So, what are you waiting for? Go forth and pray without ceasing! May God be with you now and forever!


 For more blogs from Carrell Jamilano, check out her blog at www.CatholicSpiritualDirector.com/blog.


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The Upper Room magazine's mission is to provide a practical way to listen to scripture, connect with believers around the world, and spend time with God each day.

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