As an early apostle, Paul gives a number of instructions to the first-century church that are still just as applicable to life today. Yet, Paul’s instructions are more than just a set of rules or expectations. His writings are also love letters—to God, to the church, and to his brothers and sisters in Christ then and now. It’s in this spirit of love that Paul teaches us some important lessons about how we can connect to our Father in prayer.

Pray All throughout the Day

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Paul reminds us that every moment of every day can act as an invitation to prayer. Some of these prayers might be more formal or more specific. Maybe you’re thanking God before a meal, or asking for his help in a particular circumstance. But, in order to pray continually, as Paul says, sometimes our prayers might look a little less traditional. An important part of prayer is learning to be constantly looking for and open to the presence of God. So this could also look like a quick conversation with him about something you noticed on your drive to work or a word spoken to him about that person you saw in the coffee shop. 

Ask God for Anything

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Paul tells us to feel free to ask God for anything. It doesn’t matter how big or how small our requests are– God wants us to share them all with him. While God might not always answer our prayers in the ways we expect or desire, we can rest assured that he works for our good and the good of the world. When we don’t see the good in our present circumstances (because, let’s be real, sometimes we won’t), Paul encourages us to cling to the promise that God can still bring us peace, even when and where we least expect it.

The Spirit Helps Us

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26).

Even in the moments when we’re feeling lost, weak, overwhelmed, or heartbroken, we can offer these feelings to God in prayer. There are times when we’re unable to come up with the right words to pray, the desire to pray, or when we don’t even know what to pray for. These are the times when we can rely on the intercession of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to lift up our needs to God on our behalf. We can commune with God, even if it’s in silence, trusting that he will still know and meet our every need. 

Use Scripture to Pray

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:9-14).

As a leader in the Jewish community, Paul had an intimate knowledge of Scripture, something we can also know from the hundreds of references to the Old Testament that Paul includes in his letters. Having our heart tuned to Scripture can not only help us learn more about the character and story of God, but can provide beautiful and relevant words to bring to God in prayer. Some people find great peace in praying the Psalms, where there are words for both celebration and lament. Others might find the blessings and prayers Paul uses in his own letters (like in the verse above!) to be meaningful words to speak over present circumstances. If you’re interested in praying some of Paul’s words, check out many of the words he uses to open and close his letters, like 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 and Philippians 1:9–11.