Don’t Just Pray When There’s a Problem

10/28/2026

Have you ever noticed how quickly we turn to prayer when something goes wrong? The phone rings with bad news, a medical test comes back with unexpected results, a relationship begins falling apart, or something happens that leaves us feeling completely helpless. Suddenly, we’re praying like never before. And there’s nothing wrong with that. God wants us to come to Him in those moments. But I’ve often wondered what our lives would look like if we talked to God just as much when things were going well as we do when everything seems to be falling apart.

“praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,“
- Ephesians 6:18 ESV

Paul writes these words at the conclusion of one of the most familiar passages in Ephesians, the armor of God. He’s been explaining that our struggle isn’t ultimately against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil. He tells believers to put on the whole armor of God, to stand firm, and to be prepared for the battles that come our way.

Then he brings us to prayer.

I find that interesting because Paul doesn’t describe prayer as another piece of armor. Instead, prayer is woven throughout the entire battle. It’s how we remain connected to the One who gives us the strength to stand.

Think about that for a minute. We can know Scripture, understand spiritual warfare, attend church faithfully, and even serve in ministry, but if we’re neglecting prayer, we’re trying to fight spiritual battles without maintaining our connection to the One who has already won the victory.

And I think we’re all guilty of that from time to time.

We get busy. We have responsibilities, appointments, families, jobs, and a hundred things competing for our attention. Before we know it, we’ve gone through most of the day without having a meaningful conversation with God.

Oh, we might have said a quick prayer over breakfast or asked Him to help us with something difficult, but have we actually spent time talking with Him?

Paul says to pray at all times.

Now, that doesn’t mean we’re supposed to spend every waking moment on our knees with our eyes closed. We’d never get anything done, and driving would become pretty dangerous!

What Paul is describing is a life of ongoing communication with God.

It’s talking to Him while you’re driving to work. It’s asking for wisdom before responding to a difficult email. It’s thanking Him when something good happens. It’s praying for someone when their name unexpectedly comes to mind. It’s stopping in the middle of a frustrating situation and asking the Holy Spirit to help you respond with grace rather than anger.

Prayer isn’t supposed to be something we occasionally fit into our lives. It’s supposed to be part of how we live.

And there’s something else in this verse I don’t want us to miss.

Paul tells us to pray in the Spirit.

That means prayer isn’t simply presenting God with our wish list. It’s allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our hearts, our desires, and our understanding of what God wants to accomplish.

Sometimes we come to God convinced we know exactly what needs to happen. We know how the problem should be solved, who needs to change, and how quickly God ought to take care of it.

I’ve certainly been there.

But prayer isn’t about convincing God to agree with us. It’s about bringing ourselves before Him and allowing Him to shape our hearts according to His will.

Sometimes God changes the circumstances. Other times, He changes us while we’re walking through them.

And sometimes the answer doesn’t come nearly as quickly as we’d like.

That’s where another word in this verse becomes important: perseverance.

Paul tells us to keep praying, to remain alert, and not to give up.

I wonder how many times we’ve stopped praying about something because we didn’t see an answer quickly enough. We prayed for a few days, maybe even a few weeks, and when nothing seemed to change, we quietly moved on.

But perseverance in prayer isn’t about wearing God down until He finally gives in. It’s about continuing to trust Him even when we don’t understand His timing.

Jesus demonstrated this in the Garden of Gethsemane. Facing the cross, He prayed honestly about what was ahead of Him, yet surrendered Himself to the Father’s will.

That’s a powerful example for us.

We can be honest with God about our fears, frustrations, disappointments, and desires while still trusting that His wisdom is greater than our understanding.

And finally, Paul reminds us that our prayers shouldn’t be focused entirely on ourselves.

He tells us to pray for all the saints.

In other words, we’re supposed to be praying for one another.

There are people sitting beside us at church every Sunday who are fighting battles we know absolutely nothing about. Some are dealing with financial struggles. Others are carrying grief, family problems, health concerns, or questions about their faith. Some are smiling on the outside while barely holding things together on the inside.

What if we became more intentional about praying for them?

Not just saying, “I’ll pray for you,” and then forgetting about it, but actually stopping and praying.

Right then, if possible.

I’ve found that one of the most meaningful things we can do for another person is to let them know they’re not carrying their burden alone.

And prayer gives us the opportunity to bring that burden before the throne of God together.

There’s also a warning here that we shouldn’t overlook. Paul tells us to keep alert.

Spiritual warfare doesn’t always announce itself with some dramatic event. Sometimes it shows up as a slowly growing bitterness, a neglected relationship, an unchecked temptation, or a heart that gradually becomes indifferent toward God.

We may not even recognize what’s happening until we’ve drifted further away than we ever intended.

That’s why we need to remain spiritually awake.

Prayer helps us recognize the things that are happening in our hearts before they become something much more destructive.

Here’s what I want you to understand today.

Prayer isn’t our last line of defense. It should be our first response and our constant connection to God.

You don’t have to wait until something goes wrong to talk to your Heavenly Father. You don’t need the perfect words, a special location, or a certain amount of time.

He wants to hear from you.

Not because He doesn’t already know what’s happening in your life, but because He desires a relationship with you.

And relationships grow through communication.

So talk to Him today. Talk to Him about the big things and the little things. Thank Him, question Him, ask Him for help, and listen for His direction through His Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

And don’t forget to pray for someone else along the way.

You never know how much your prayers might mean to someone who’s struggling to find the strength to pray for themselves.

Action Steps

1. Make prayer part of your ordinary day. Choose three moments today when you’ll intentionally stop and talk to God. It might be before leaving home, during lunch, or before going to bed. Don’t worry about having the right words. Just have a conversation with Him.

2. Pray for someone beyond yourself. Think of someone who’s facing a difficult situation. Pray specifically for them, and if appropriate, reach out and let them know you’re praying. Better yet, ask if you can pray with them.

3. Keep praying about something you’ve almost given up on. Is there a situation you’ve stopped bringing before God because nothing seems to be changing? Bring it to Him again today. Ask for His wisdom, trust His timing, and surrender the outcome to Him.

Challenge for the Day

Before you ask God for anything today, spend a few minutes thanking Him for what He’s already done. Then reach out to one person and ask, “How can I pray for you today?” And when they answer, don’t just promise to pray. Do it.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I’ve treated prayer like an emergency phone call instead of an ongoing conversation with You. Help me recognize how much I need Your presence and guidance in every part of my life. Teach me to listen as much as I speak, to trust You when answers don’t come quickly, and to remain faithful even when I don’t understand what You’re doing. Open my eyes to the people around me who need encouragement and prayer. Keep my heart alert, my faith strong, and my relationship with You growing deeper every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pastor Jeff

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