Thank you for this great question my dear friend. Scripture would seem to indicate to me that we should often be in prayer, though the time of day may depend much on your situation. Overall, I’d say that consistent communion with the Lord is very important for the Christian in being equipped to walk in this world, knowing the Lord’s will and ways as I’ll try to illustrate below. It is certainly important to pray in times of trial, but we do not want to limit prayer time only to times of emergency. I believe that our Lord Jesus Himself is the best example for us as to when and how often we should pray. In Mark 1:35, we see the Lord Jesus getting up long before sunrise and before His disciples so that He might go to a solitary place to pray, “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Now, what was it that caused our Lord Jesus to arise  and to go forth into a solitary place at such a time of day?  Indeed, it was so that He might spend time alone with His Father in prayer before beginning a new day.  This was His time of communion with His Father, and He did not allow that time to be interrupted.  Now, if it was important for the Son of God to begin His day in prayer, what about you and me?  Perhaps we do not rise up a great while before day, but as children of God, do we not need a daily time of communion with Him through prayer and through reading His Word?  When we pray, we talk to God; when we read His Word, God talks to us.  This is how we learn His will for our lives, and how we receive instruction in the way in which we should go.  This is also the time when we can bring our concerns and cares, our anxieties and fears, before the throne of Grace, before the One who Himself walked here below.  There we will find mercy and help, day or night, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” (Hebrews 4:15,16).

Is prayer just for the morning? Consider the account of our Lord Jesus after the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew 14. As He was dispersing the crowd, Jesus directed His disciples to enter a ship and cross the sea of Galilee ahead of Him. At this point, the Lord went up onto a high hill by Himself to pray.  As day turned to evening, the Lord was there alone on the hilltop praying. Thus we see that not only did the Lord Jesus pray early in the day, but also at the end of the day. In fact, we see that He was often in prayer. While in Jerusalem, He would commonly go to the Mount of Olives, to a little garden called Gethsemane to pray (Luke 22:39).  As it was so common for the Lord to be found here praying, Judas used this information to lead a band of armed men there in order to arrest Jesus just before Calvary. 

Now, are we known for having a consistent pattern of prayer? Consider the example of Daniel who certainly was known for consistency in prayer, three times a day at least as we read in Daniel 6:10. Similarly, we know that David prayed each day, at the beginning of the day for sure (Psalms 5:1-3), and he prayed and meditated at night as well (Psalms 63:5,6).

Whether we arise before sunrise, or whether we get up later in the day, it is so critical to the healthy life and walk of a Christian that we spend time alone with our Lord in prayer.  Nothing so characterizes a child of God as prayer, for prayer is dependence on the Lord.  How often should we be praying? We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that the children of God should “pray without ceasing”. I would recommend that we should pray at a regular time daily, whether it be morning, noon or night, or some combination of the above. That will help us to be consistent in prayer. And beyond that, we should pray as often as we see the need for prayer. Are we struggling with anxious fears or temptation?  Come quickly to the Lord in prayer.  Do we want to know the will of our Father?  Be often in prayer—fervent prayer, and that with thanksgiving.  We read in Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”  In everything, we are to pray, being thankful to God.  And what is the outcome of our prayer and supplication with thanksgiving?  “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” (verse 7).  When we bring our needs and cares before the Lord fervently, often, and with thanksgiving, God’s peace will guard our hearts in Christ Jesus—that is God’s Word.

And now, dear friend, are you a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ?  Have you trusted Him for salvation?  If you have, then you are a child of God.  And, that same Lord Jesus who once walked in Galilee, is now at the right hand of the Father; He longs to hear your voice in supplication, and He waits to help you—He is only a prayer away.  On the other hand, if you have not yet believed on Christ, you will not know this peace of God; you will not know the comfort and help that comes from prayer.  The good news is that you can believe on Christ just now and become one of His children through faith in His finished work on Calvary.  We read in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him (the Lord Jesus), to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”  (SF)  (511.3)