Reverend Marco Ste-Marie

Prayer doesn’t always change the situation—but it will change you. It reorients your priorities. It polishes the mirror of your soul so you reflect more clearly the image of God.

And it can replace fear with peace. Paul, writing from prison to the church in Philippi, says: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God—which surpasses all understanding—will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

These words came from a man in chains, facing an uncertain future. The Greek word for “guard” (phrouresei) was a military term—Paul is saying God’s peace will stand sentry over your heart like Roman soldiers over a city.

And the word for “peace” (eirēnē) was more than calm feelings; it meant wholeness, well-being, and flourishing under God’s reign.

This is not Stoic detachment. It’s not “don’t care so you won’t be hurt.” It’s a relational peace, anchored in the nearness of God (“the Lord is near,” Paul says in the verse before).

Prayer—especially prayer laced with thanksgiving—pulls us out of anxiety and into that guarded space.

If you haven’t experienced that kind of peace, don’t give up.

Keep coming to God. Sometimes the chains remain, but the panic lifts.

PRAYER TAKES COMMITMENT

You cannot grow a relationship without time. So let’s stop making excuses. “I’m too busy.” Really? Yet we find hours for scrolling, binge-watching, and answering every notification. The issue isn’t time—it’s priority.

“I don’t know what to say.” That’s fine. God isn’t grading grammar; He’s listening for sincerity. Some of the holiest prayers are raw and unpolished. Some are wordless.

Start with five minutes. Be consistent. Write prayers in a journal and review them months later. You’ll begin to see the patterns of God’s quiet work in your life.

SO, WHAT’S STOPPING YOU?

God is not playing hide-and-seek. He’s near. He’s listening. This week, don’t just think about prayer. Pray. And don’t do all the talking.

Let God speak—whether in a whisper, in the heart of exile, or in the guarded peace that makes no sense apart from Him.

The God who set the stars in place wants to hear from you. Not once. Not occasionally. Daily. Continually. Intimately.

So let’s stop treating prayer like an emergency button. Let’s treat it like oxygen. Let’s reclaim prayer as the conversation that changes everything.