When was the last time you prayed? Have you ever considered that not praying is a sin? Are you taken back by such a question? You may say, “I know I should pray, but I don’t see how not praying is a sin?” Aren’t sins things that we do that are wrong, you know evil and bad stuff?
Actually, sins can also be things we fail to do that we should (James 4:17). God expects a Christian to pray. Samuel, the priest of God, said it would be a “sin” for him to cease praying to God (1 Sam. 12:23). Jesus commanded his disciples to “pray for those who persecute you” (Mat. 5:44). So the Lord not only expect us to pray, he expected us to pray tough prayers for those who are our enemies. For Jesus, prayer was assumed. He said, “when you pray” (Mat. 6:5-9). He taught his Apostles to “watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Mat. 26:41). Paul taught Christians to “pray without ceasing” and to pray “always” (1 Thes. 5:17, Eph. 6:18).
So yes! It is a sin to not pray. Does a Father want his children to talk to him? Prayer is chiefly about a relationship. It is not a wishing well or a vending machine. We don’t just pray to get something. We pray to be with God. We pray to seek God’s will (Mat. 6:10). Prayer is seeking the heart of God, while simultaneously laying our heart bare before His mercy and grace.
Neglecting to pray not only is a sin, but it results in powerless Christians. It opens us up to temptation and the attacks of Satan. A lack of praying is a sign of a selfish independent heart. You are saying you can do life without the help of God. It shows a lack of love and compassion for others and the needs of our world. To not pray demonstrates a lack of faith and conviction in the power of God.
May God help us to realize the sin of prayerlessness! Lord, teach us to pray!
