Think about what your prayer life is like? How often do you pray? Do you pray only when you are in need of something? Do you pray only when something bad has happened? Do you pray only when you need to? Is prayer your last resort? If that is the case, prayer to you is a spare tyre. Or are you the sort of person that prays at all times? Do you pray immediately when you wake up, before leaving your house? Do you pray in good times and also in bad times? Do you pray without ceasing? If so prayer is your steering wheel.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says ” Never Stop Praying”. Now it isn’t very possible to spend every single moment of our lives on our knees praying, but it is possible to have a prayerful attitude 24/7. This sort of attitude is based upon you acknowledging that we are dependent on God, you realize His presence within you and determine within yourself to obey Him fully. Prayer for me is a time where I can communicate with God, pour out my mind & heart and cast all my cares and needs to the Lord. When you understand the concept of prayer it will become natural to pray frequently and spontaneously during the day.

Earlier this week I had an English oral exam, which I was very nervous about. During my preparation I would always say a short pray as I was totally dependent on God’s help. For the oral I was to pick an envelope which contained an extract either from a play by William Shakespeare or a Poem by Wilfred Owen, which I had to give a commentary about. I found the play really difficult to discuss and analyse effectively so I preferred to pick a poem; but anything could happen since the extracts were concealed in envelopes. On the morning of the exam I remember repeating “Lord please help me pick the right envelope” “Direct me to select a poem that I can discuss, to the best of my ability”. When the time came for me to do the oral, I selected an envelope that appeared to be highlighted to me and Lo & behold it was a poem that I was VERY comfortable with discussing. My face instantly lit up like a sunbeam, I was so happy – The Lord had heard my prayer! This reminded me of the promise in Mark 11:24 “whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”. Now my prayer life isn’t perfect but this experience taught me that, no matter how small our petitions may seem to us we should commit ALL to the Lord. Be in constant communication with God, and he will come through for you.

Would you rather use prayer as a steering wheel or a spare tyre? As a steering wheel, through prayer you will be able to gain guidance, instruction and steer yourself in the correct direction in your situation. Just like I was directed to select the perfect envelope during my oral. If prayer was my spare tyre and I prayed only after I had already selected the envelope, I wonder how my oral would have turned out. You may have heard the song by Carrie Underwood “Jesus take the wheel” (video is below), let Jesus steer your life.Instead of driving recklessly and struggling alone, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you”. ( 1 Peter 5:7)

Don’t face the day until you have faced the Lord in prayer. It has been said that prayer is the world’s greatest wireless connection, don’t let anything hinder you from using it! Prayer balances our life which can sometimes be very chaotic and stressful, it gives reassurance and it has the ability to guide every decision we take. In our journey through life it is very easy for us to only communicate with God as a back-up plan, when things have gotten VERY bad (like having flat tyres) and then we remember we have a spare tyre (prayer), our last resort. God should not be your back-up plan!

Stay blessed,

Dara x

P.S- Do you have any petitions, requests? Feel free to send me your prayer requests through this link!