There is a funny scene in one of my favorite movies, “Steel Magnolias” with Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts and Darryl Hannah when Shelby watches Annelle suddenly drop to her knees in Truvy’s salon and asks “was she prayin’? Why?” Dolly’s character wryly responds, “Got me, maybe she was praying for Marshall and Drew and Bell. Maybe she was praying for us cause we was gossipin’. Maybe she was praying because the elastic is shot in her pantyhose. Who knows, she prays at the drop of a hat these days.”
I still laugh remembering that scene. And it resonates with those of us who think we shouldn’t pray about trivial things. But in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Paul reminds us to pray “without ceasing, giving thanks in all circumstances” and he makes no references to a priority list. Even more important is the part about giving thanks in ALL circumstances. There are no qualifiers regarding that either.
But what does it mean to pray without ceasing? Psychology experts tell us even when our mind is not purposely focused on an activity we are engaged in thought. An article in Psychology Today by Steve Taylor, Ph.D., states “involuntary ‘thought chatter’ seems to be an affliction of human beings.”
I began to wonder, can my involuntary thought chatter become constant prayer?
In Romans 12:2 Paul tells us “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” and by this we gain discernment of God’s will for us.
So that “thought chatter” or inner dialogue I am having through the day can either be worldly and self-involved or given up in an ongoing conversation–prayer–with God. There are so many verses in Scripture in which God encourages us to come to Him in prayer and none warning us to pray only about disease or addiction or tragedy.
Of course those are the times when we readily think of needing His grace or guidance and strength. But sometimes little things matter too. And I don’t know about you, but I can often get frustrated by little things. So I truly need to pray without ceasing if I am to live each moment, all through the day, in His grace and power.
And as I pray “at the drop of a hat” over little moments of discouragement or frustration as well as the big stuff, as my “thought chatter” becomes a continual prayer for wisdom and endurance and thanksgiving, then my spirit is renewed according to His will and all things are transformed into blessings.
Amen. And yet?
For so many months now my thought chatter pings restlessly and I struggle to pray beyond Kyrie, eleison.
And so I am writing this blog.