Troubling...

Today in class, we were talking about prayer. My professor was sharing from his own experience and explained that he has these moments where he realizes that 4-5 hours of his life went by and he didn't pray. He said this troubles him. He asked if we ever had a similar experience. I thought about it, and of course the answer is unfortunately yes. And does it trouble me? Yes, but I don't think it troubles me enough.

You see in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are commanded to pray without ceasing. In the English translation, the word order is changed. In the original text of the Greek, the verse says "Without ceasing, pray." The emphasis is on without ceasing. If we are really to live our lives like this and to follow this command and principle, then it should truly trouble us when we realize a block of time has passed in which we did not talk to God.

But it should be troubling, not to get us down, but to encourage us to change! To encourage us to seek nothing without talking to God. To encourage us to constantly be in communication with God so that we can see how he is moving us and chaning us to be conformed to His decreed will for our lives.

Without ceasing...pray!