Psalm 46:10, 1 Peter 5:7

Steve Gambill on the importance and effectiveness of prayer.

Steve Gambill

"Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at Me, your High God, above politics, above everything." (Psalm 46:10)

Life is busy. It is full of personal responsibilities, work responsibilities, family commitments, and so much more. If I'm honest there are times in my life when I think that I am too busy to pray. However in reality the Bible teaches that we are too busy NOT to pray.

Reflect on the various things shouting for your attention. Think about all of your unfinished tasks, phone calls to return, emails and texts to reply to, appointments to be made, and events to plan. Now take a deep breath and exhale. God is sovereign. When we seek Him first we give all these things over to our Heavenly Father. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords and yet He is ready to help you carry your burdens. Our God is so good.

Martin Luther said, "More work is done by prayer, than by work itself."

The busier we are the more focused our prayer life should be. Think about that, more work is done by prayer than by the work itself. By working at growing your prayer life, you will accomplish greater things with less effort. Prayer is a tool to be used, and a weapon that is powerful and effective.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

Jesus was careful to stay prayer full.

The busier life becomes the more essential it is to find moments of stillness and peace where God re-affirms His supreme Lordship of everything. When you pray, you create a moment where you will find calm in the midst of the circumstantial storms. Let's not get busy FOR God, but learn to work in peace WITH God.

• Spend a few minutes praying for the busiest areas of your life


• Take a few moments to pray for the greatest responsibilities you have


• Pray for the areas or situations that are causing you the most stress or worry


• Cast all these cares, worries and anxieties on God

God is El Shadai, God Almighty. Let Him be your source and strength.

When your life becomes centred in God in prayer, in the midst of every storm, you can find peace. Just as there is an eye in every hurricane, you can find peace through prayer in God, no matter how fierce the storm is. In fact, the greater the storm, the greater the peace can be when you simply pray.

Now is the time to pray! Pray for your family. Pray for the young people and church you serve.

Let's finish with praying:

"Lord, I give you the busiest areas of my life. I give you the things I cannot control. I cast all my anxieties and worries on you, and I know that you are more than able to bring peace and calm in my life. I pray over my work situation, my financial situation, and my family, and over all the relationships in my life. Lord move powerfully in every area and relationship in my life. Help me to be more aware of the opportunities I have to pray throughout the demands of the day. Amen."