Prayer, like breathing, happens anywhere and anytime. We can pray while we walk down the street, while driving to work, while we’re waiting for an elevator, in hospital rooms, break rooms, at work, school or anywhere else in the midst of life. It isn’t reserved for monks and nuns in quiet corners of abbeys and ministers in their offices. Prayer is meant to be like breathing, an integral part of every moment of our life. Just as Paul admonishes us to ‘pray without ceasing’ it is to underline and outline every thing we do as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

But we also need to remember that prayer isn’t just something we cram into the busy moments of our lives.

So many times, we find Jesus withdrawing, pulling away from the crowds, His disciples and ministry in general, and spending time alone in prayer.

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Luke 6:12 NIV

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35 ESV

“After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.” Mark 6:46 NASB

“But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” Luke 5:16 NLT

I don’t know about you, but breathing is a priority for me. I do it pretty much anywhere and anytime I please. I’m rebellious like that. But have you ever had those moments where just breathing really is a comfort? Maybe you hate small places or crowded scenarios and getting outside where you can just stand by yourself and breathe for a moment in the open is strengthening. Maybe you have come out from a difficult interview or performance review and and just catching your breath for a moment is nice. What about when you have had a season of hurry and hustle in life and you finally find yourself away from it all, standing outside, just you and the sky and your Creator and you can finally just enjoy breathing deeply, calming your anxious heart.

We have all been in those places. Sometimes it is more often than we would like to admit, but what we also need to recognize is that there are times when, in the middle of those moments of stress and difficulty, we need to pull away and just pray. Prayers of relief afterward are wonderful, but we need to remember to set aside time for prayer as a priority, to withdraw and find that precious time to pray for the sake of prayer and communion with our God.

Jesus didn’t pull away for prayer just to teach us to do it, but because it is beneficial, healthy and right to do. Take your lunch break once a week and rather than go to the break room, retreat away somewhere and pray. Set one morning during the week as your day to have an early alarm so you can spend time in prayer without distractions. Set an evening every week to turn off the TV and computers and mobile devices and spend quiet time with God.

Start with 10-20 minutes, pray the prayers that Jesus prayed, pray through the psalms. Pray out loud if it helps you concentrate, write out what you want to pray about ahead of time if you need. Pray for friends and family members. Pray for national and world leaders. Pray for people you cannot stand. Pray for willingness to listen and serve.

Be silent.
Listen.
Breathe.

A solid prayer life oftentimes equates to a strong witness and good moral character. Prayer causes us to confront ourselves, our vices and faults. Prayer points out our grudges and pains. Prayer won’t leave us alone, and it points our hearts toward God when it is rightly approached. Prayer requires us to speak and it requires a great deal of listening of us as well.

Pray that God will help you as you GoLove others today and in the coming weeks. Pray that the rejoicing of Easter morning echoes throughout your life, and that the words of life would fall like seeds from your lips into the plowed soil of the hearts around you, that fruit would be produced for the Kingdom, that souls would be redeemed in Christ.