We know that we need to pray morning and night, but what does “praying always” look like?
Phrases that illustrate the principle of continual prayer are peppered throughout the scriptures: “pray without ceasing” and “counsel with the Lord in all [our] doings.” But how can we realistically apply this principle in our daily lives?
The key to fulfilling the admonition to “pray always” lies in the connection between our morning and evening prayers. In his general conference address “Pray Always,” Elder David A. Bednar states, “Just as the temporal creation was linked to and a continuation of the spiritual creation, so meaningful morning and evening prayers are linked to and are a continuation of each other.” In his talk, Elder Bednar provides three steps on how to connect our daily prayers:
PHOTO BY LUKAS BLAZEK
- Seek counsel: In a morning prayer, we can express a desire to improve our behavior and ask Heavenly Father for help.
- Keep a prayer in our hearts: Throughout the day, we can ask for continued guidance and assistance. As we become aware of occasions in which we succeed in our righteous endeavors where we normally would not, we offer a prayer of gratitude.
- Report back: When we kneel at the end of the day, we can report back to our Heavenly Father on our progress and give thanks for his help. Additionally, we can repent of our failures and promise to do better the following day.
As we strive to connect our daily prayers by seeking counsel, keeping a prayer in our hearts, and reporting back, we gain God’s help in our spiritual growth and learn how to make our prayers more meaningful.
Read or watch Elder David A. Bednar’s address “Pray Always” for more insights on how to make our prayers more meaningful.
Source: General Conference
—Ashlin Holbrook, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE COURTESY OF GOSPEL MEDIA LIBRARY
Find more insights
Take a look at Pamela Nelson’s article “What Should I Pray For?” for ways to pray for strength in overcoming our struggles.
Check out Elicia Cheney’s article “Finding Redemption Through Prayer” to read the story of one man’s return to prayer.