As fitting and appropriate as it is to call upon God from the foxhole, prayer should really be our first and natural response in all of life’s circumstances.
- When awed by His works, we should praise Him.
- When struck by His greatness, we should worship Him.
- When encumbered by doubts, we should trust in Him.
- When ensnared by sin, we should confess to Him.
- When weary and careworn, we should lean on Him.
- When wisdom is needed, we should ask of Him.
- When brimming with joy, we should sing to Him.
- When weighed down with grief, we should cling to Him.
- When honored, we should magnify Him.
- When humbled, we should hide in Him.
- When burdened for the lost — as we all need to be — we should plead for His unfailing mercy.
- When blessed beyond measure — as each of us are — we should thank Him for His unmerited grace.
An attitude of constant prayer is a distinguishing mark of the mature Christian, which is why we are commanded to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). I don’t know who said it, but it is definitely true: “If you only pray when you’re in trouble, you’re in trouble.”
