Prayer Pause

Week 2 – Pray Continually

Practicing prayer throughout the day

Prayer Practice: Prayer Pause

Day 13, Friday, January 16

“The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven…”
- Nehemiah 2:4

Some of the most important prayers in Scripture and in our lives are not long or public. Instead, they happen “on the fly” in the space between a choice and a decision. Nehemiah’s prayer happens here at one of those crucial moments, and it models an important practice for every single believer.

Standing before the king of Persia, Nehemiah is suddenly asked what he wants. The stakes are high. He doesn’t excuse himself. He doesn’t delay. Scripture simply says, “So I prayed to the God of heaven”—and then he responds.

This is the prayer pause: briefly turning to God in prayer before action. It’s not about stopping life; it’s about inviting God into the moment before we speak, decide, or move forward.

How to Practice

As you move through your day, notice your moments of decision.

• When someone asks something unexpected

• Before replying to a message or email

• In a difficult conversation

• When emotions rise quickly

In that moment, pause—if only for a breath. Quietly turn your attention to God.

You might pray:

• “Lord, help me.”

• “Give me wisdom.”

• “I trust You.”

• “Thank you for trusting me with this”

Then respond.

Gentle Reminder

We can’t always get away or put off a moment for prayer, but like Nehemiah, we can learn to pray in the middle of life, trusting that God works in real time, in the middle of real life.