Are you ever just blown away by the fact that the Creator of all things, the Almighty God, gives us access to Him at all times? If you've been a Christian for some time, you may have begun to take that for granted, as I know I do at times. Take a moment to pause and really take that fact in. The Almighty God. The Alpha and Omega. The One who knit you together in your mother's womb. The Creator of time. The Author of the past, present, and future. We get to talk to Him. And He listens.
Prayer, an always-open line of communication between us and our Creator, is perhaps one of the most beautiful gifts we've been given during this lifetime. Like some, maybe you find you confine your prayer life to the margins outside of your workday. God does not intend for our communication with him to be relegated to only meal times and the moments when our head hits the pillow before we drift off to sleep.
“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
We are meant to walk the entirety of our days with God by our side - in constant communication with Him. This starts with speaking with Him in the small moments. We can sometimes fall into the bad habit of approaching prayer like a stuffy scheduled meeting with a busy person who has no time to meet with us outside of a formal, planned appointment. In our mind, this might sound like "Ok, it's dinner time. God's ready to hear my pre-dinner prayer." Instead, it would be more appropriate to approach prayer like that open and never-ending text thread you have with your spouse or your best friend. You know the one... it's the conversation that has no real start or end point. You send texts about big things, small things, and everything in between. It's a conversation "without ceasing." God is even more accessible than that text thread, and sometimes we forget that.
If you find you aren't in constant communication with God these days, below are a few prayers (big and small) to integrate into your workday. While you form the habit of "praying without ceasing," don't be afraid to use some of the same practical tools you'd use when building any other habit. Put a post-it on your computer monitor or set a few alarms.
Lift up prayers of thanks.
Thank God for your job - the opportunity to do meaningful work and provide for your family. Thank Him for even the small blessings you may take for granted or forget He has provided. Give thanks for lighter traffic, fresh hot coffee, and the unexpected bonus check. This practice will help you recognize God's provision in all things and direct gratitude in the right direction.
Pray for your people.
Your job probably includes some degree of interaction with people, whether it be the team you lead, your co-workers, or your clients. Is one of your team members going through a difficult season? Pray for them. Is your client embarking on something new and facing a lot of anxiety? Pray for them. Heading into a meeting? Pray for those you are meeting with. Pray over the time together and the interactions. As naturally selfish humans, this practice of lifting others up to God helps us to live in a more servant-minded way. It also reminds us that He is in control and can do far more for others than we can.
Ask God for wisdom.
You likely face difficult decisions and interactions at work. As you leverage your natural giftings and past experiences to navigate them, don't forget to lift the hard stuff up to God. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Seek His counsel in all that you do.
Reflect, repent, and ask for wisdom (again).
We all mess up. Most of us mess up a lot. Did things get a little heated in that last meeting? Are things like pride, jealousy, and greed taking hold of your heart in the workplace? Take it to God. We are to repent of our sins and our workplace sins are not excluded. As you continue to fight the trials and temptations you face, ask God for wisdom (again).
Pray a prayer of surrender.
I'm not good at surrendering. A few years ago as I faced some confusion and uncertainty around the direction I should take with my work, I got in the habit of praying a quick prayer of surrender. "God, I don't know where I should go. I don't know what next year will look like. I trust you. I surrender today to you. Even in the unknown, I surrender this day and all the days that follow. Guide my path." What are you struggling to surrender to the Lord? Ask Him to help you with that.
This list is not exhaustive, of course. You can talk with God about anything and at any time. As you go about the work week, don't forget that you have a constant line of communication with the Creator. He loves and wants to walk alongside you. Pray without ceasing.