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Christian Living

Pray Once and Pray Without Ceasing

When we ask God for something, is it a “once and done” effort or should we pray repeatedly until our request is granted?

I think the answer is yes!

If we truly believe God hears our prayers, then we only need to ask once. (And what’s the point of praying if we don’t think he hears our every word?) To ask a second time may suggest a lack of faith.

Is incessantly pleading with God akin to children repeatedly begging their parents for candy? Just as a kid’s non-stop plea is irritating to parents, constantly begging God, must also bug him.

However, there are times, when prayers should be repeated. For example, in the parable of the widow petitioning the unjust judge, Jesus commends her persistence. Another time Jesus taught us to ask each day for our “daily bread.”

And while having enough food to eat may not be a concern for most of us, we do need God’s provisions for each new day—and it’s appropriate to make that request every morning.

There are times when we should only petition God once and other instances where we need to ask repeatedly. And part of our spiritual journey is discerning the difference.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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