Near the end of His life, Jesus instructed His disciples to “pray always” (Luke 21:36).
After His death and resurrection, He gave the same counsel to a group of people on the American continent:
I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him….
Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.
Therefore, ye must always pray unto the Father in my name.
3 Nephi 18:15, 18-19
The apostle Paul gave this same advice to church members in Ephesus. After teaching them to “put on the whole armour of God,” he added, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverence and supplications for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).
President M. Russell Ballard said:
I invite you to pray always. Pray for your family. Pray for the leaders of nations. Pray for the courageous people who are on the front lines in the current battles against social, environmental, political, and biological plagues that impact all people throughout the world: the rich and the poor, the young and the old.
“Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always,” General Conference, October 2020
What does praying always look like in your life? For me, it means partly that I have a prayer in my heart throughout the day. (See Alma 34:27.) But it also means that I take time regularly to talk to Heavenly Father. When I’m working from home, I may take a few minutes during the work day for a kneeling prayer before a challenging meeting or a daunting task. That’s how I follow Amulek’s counsel (paraphrasing Zenos) to pray over the “crops” and the “flocks” of my fields. (See Alma 34:24-25, Alma 33:5.)
President Russell M. Nelson recently provided the following counsel about prayer:
As you think celestial, your heart will gradually change. You will want to pray more often and more sincerely. Please don’t let your prayers sound like a shopping list. The Lord’s perspective transcends your mortal wisdom. His response to your prayers may surprise you and will help you to think celestial….
Our prayers can be—and should be—living discussions with our Heavenly Father.
“Think Celestial!” General Conference, October 2023
Today, I will pray always. I will be grateful that my Father in Heaven is always available to hear me, and I will take the time frequently to talk with Him.