"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, ESV).
With the invention of smartphones and these (often antisocial) media apps, we can now be distracted and ignore reality at any given moment, every single day. Many have lost the art of communication because there is no longer a need actually to talk to people. It's all about these black letters on a white background. We text instead of calling. We use emojis instead of an emotional face-to-face conversation. We post "Insta updates, such as engagements or the birth of a new baby, instead of waiting to share that news in person, especially with close friends and family members. I strongly dislike finding out essential things through Facebook first, don't you?
We can't even sit in a twenty-minute car ride without grabbing for that block of distraction. My husband knows how guilty I am of this one! And recently, I discovered that the existence behind my phone's keyboard hasn't just affected my relationships with other people, but also with God. Are we so connected to our devices that we are neglecting to communicate with the Lord? How much time am I spending on my phone? I must wonder if living a life of only black letters on a white background is a significant reason my prayer life sometimes seems like it is on life support. You can't text God. He wants to hear from His children.
Because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, He tore the veil that separated sinful man from the Holy and Righteous One; Jesus made a way for me to approach God as my Father. What a beautifully life-changing truth! When the disciples asked Christ to teach them how to pray in Matthew chapter six, He told them to begin with "Our Father." Prayer is personal because the Father longs to have a personal relationship with His children. He wants us to come to Him constantly with our concerns, burdens, joys, and requests.
At the end of his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul gives a simple reminder to the Thessalonians (and us) to anchor themselves in joy and thankfulness and never stop praying:
"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, ESV).
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Just as all our relationships in life are shaped by verbal communication, we form our relationship with the Lord through every conversation we have with Him, and we should constantly lift our gaze and voices to Him. This means that as we go about our day, we should remember to stay connected to the Vine (John 15), abiding in Him, knowing that we must remain dependent upon Him for all things and to be thankful and content for His new mercies that are available to us every single day. The distractions are endless throughout the day, and it's so easy for our eyes and minds to become focused on lesser, temporal things. This isn't to say that we ignore all our daily earthly responsibilities to sit in our "prayer closet." Still, we seek God in the midst of these responsibilities, remembering that He is the One who gives us the grace to accomplish the tasks before us.
His sovereign hand is always guiding us as His beautiful providence unfolds in our lives, and we should be careful not to get caught up in our own plans and goals, neglecting to come to Him first. Constant communication with the Lord will build and strengthen our confidence and trust in the Lord, as we learn to lean upon Him in all things. Rejoicing always and remaining thankful for another day to get a chance to get to know Him through His Word and glorify His name in all that we say and do. Let us ask the Lord to help us throw off the distractions that would keep us from that glorious partnership with Him.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Bohdan Bevz
Related Resource: How to Stop Comparing Your Prayer Life and Start Praying for Real
Have you ever listened to someone pray and thought, Well… I’ll never sound like that? In this encouraging conversation, Donna Jones sits down with author and speaker Shellie Tomlinson to talk about the comparison trap in prayer—and how to get free from it. Shellie shares why God isn’t looking for “perfect prayers” or spiritual clones. He wants you. We unpack simple, practical habits that help you linger with God, stop quitting when your mind wanders, and remember that prayer isn’t the goal—a deeper relationship with Jesus is. Shellie shares one simple reminder about approaching God in prayer that I’m sure I’ll never forget. You don’t want to miss it! If this episode of That's Just What I Needed helped you prioritize what matters most, be sure to follow the show on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Wednesday, 03 December 2025.
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