Don't Forget to Pray

Yesterday, in Sacrament Meeting, our ward choir sang a beautiful hymn, Did You Think to Pray? It's a very good hymn that speaks of a number of occasions in which we would be wise to pray, but in that aspect, it's my opinion that the hymn is incomplete. While Did You Think to Pray? reminds us to pray each morning, "when sore trials come upon [us]," and when we're angry, I would add another time when it's crucial that we remember to pray: When we're tempted.

The scriptures are filled with variations of the phrase "Watch and pray always that ye enter not into temptation." When modern prophets and apostles teach us how to resist temptation, they almost always list prayer. When so much of life hinges on the decisions we make, and when the temptations we face come more frequently and in greater force in this age than in any other (I'm speculating there, but it's an educated estimate), I would think that great emphasis would be placed on how we can draw on the power and wisdom of the Lord to help us resist temptation and make the right decisions when temptations come. And I should think that prayer is nearly essential for that.

Temptations hit us all frequently, often when we are weak or when we least expect it - when our guard is down. That makes prayer an essential watchword when we're faced with temptation. Often, our own strength to temptation is not enough. Through prayer, we can ask for strength and guidance, and the Lord will help us find the will-power and wisdom to escape temptation. The trouble is that since Satan often attacks us when we're not expecting an attack, we're not usually prepared to shore up our defenses at a moment's notice. We don't always know we're being tempted, let alone thinking about what we need to do to resist temptation. In order to know what to do when temptation comes, we need to drill it into our minds until it readily comes to mind the instant we realize we're being tempted. When you're tempted, pray. When you're tempted, pray. When you're tempted, pray.

I hope I don't forget that the next time I face temptation.