Pray More

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I am being challenged by the Lord. I pray a lot, but I am hearing a clear direction from the Holy Spirit to pray even more. In fact, if I am being honest, what he is saying to me is: "You aren't praying enough." this is much more involved than what it may appear on the surface. Personally, this means that I am to pray more when I am by myself. I am to extend my prayer times with him. I lead several groups of people and I know that this direction applies there as well. We just need to pray more!
    I long to have the kind of relationship with God where I am connected at all times. Some of you are probably far ahead of me on this one. I am a compartmentalized person. When I am praying, I am praying, when I am working, I am working, when I am writing, I am writing. And the list goes on and on. I know that the Holy Spirit is in me and I am always with him. But I fail to pay attention all the time. To me, this is true prayer: It is being connected to God, always, by paying attention to the Holy Spirit inside me.
    When I read the verses above, I see that joy, continual prayer and thanksgiving go together. If I am a praying, thankful person, I will be joyful. So, why do I sometimes fail at this? I think the answer is in that same passage. It says, "Give thanks IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES." If I allow the circumstances to dictate whether I pray and be thankful, I may not follow through. But If I continue in Christ and his will, I will be prayerful and thankful in all things. When that happens, I will be praying continually.
    Does that speak to you? Is God asking you to pray more? Let's follow through. If he is asking us to do this together, he must have incredible breakthroughs and victories for us. I think this is a season for prayer...do you?