"Never stop praying." That's the charge the apostle Paul gives to the church in Thessalonica. I read that and wondered if Paul really means "never stop praying," and is that even possible. I learned firsthand how possible it is.
When my oldest son was in middle school we noticed a small patch of skin on his cheek looking lighter than it should. At first my wife and I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but over time we saw the whitish patch grow larger. Then we noticed the patches were multiplying to other parts of his face as well.
We took our son to the doctor and that's where we learned about vitiligo, a condition where the skin loses its pigment. Our doctor didn't give us much hope that any known treatments would work. People can live a normal life with the condition; they just need to be more intentional about putting on sunscreen to protect against skin cancer.
But I was less concerned about what this could do to our son physically and more concerned about what this could do to him relationally and emotionally. Let's face it, middle school and high school can be rough for any student, much less one that makes them stand out for reasons others could make fun of.
So, I did what Paul tells us to do and I prayed continually. I prayed several times a day. I said, "Lord, I don't care how you do it, through doctors or an outright miracle, but I'm asking you to heal my son." I prayed that way for several months, humble, bold, specific prayers.
It was during that time I learned that part of the reason God tells us to "never stop praying" is it reminds us of our dependence on Him. We realize just how much we aren't in control, and it puts our focus on the One who is in control of all things. I also learned when we are praying continually we are more in tune when God responds to our prayer. It's easy to pray once about something and forget about it, and never recognize when God answered the prayer. But when we are praying on a consistent basis, we will see God at work more often, which deepens our faith and builds our trust in our Heavenly Father.
My son still has vitiligo, but I believe God answered my prayer. We tried a laser treatment and it brought back the pigment in his face. Not all of it, but most of it. My son did sport a patch of white hair as his scalp was affected also, but he didn't mind much because God answered my prayer in a way I didn't expect. God gave my son a confidence and peace about himself that could only come from Him. My son was more ok with his vitiligo that I was.
These days when there is something, or someone, who requires some serious prayer I do my best to follow what Paul tells us to do and pray regularly and consistently. I may never stop praying, but it's often enough to see God work, which deepens my faith and builds trust in my Heavenly Father.
