Reading Plan:
Colossians 4


Our Thoughts:
Everyone has those days when nothing seems to go right. Every time you turn around something is going sideways. If you don’t let some pressure loose, you feel like you’ll just explode. On days like that, isn’t it so nice to have someone who you can safely vent to? How blessed we are that we have a line of communication directly to Jesus Christ, the one who reigns over the entire universe. Prayer, no matter how you approach it, is the way we most readily converse with God. It’s one of the most important parts of Christianity yet often the most overlooked. Prayer is the key to uncovering God’s will for our lives.

In Jeremiah 33:3 God tells both the writer and us, “Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
If you aren’t active in your prayer life, think about what you could be missing out on. Think about the mysteries and answers that God isn’t revealing to you simply because you aren’t asking. Talk about FOMO. There are endless examples throughout the Bible of what prayer does for the believer. Are you making prayer a priority in your life? If not, it is never too late to start.

So, what should prayer look like in our life? Paul tells the Colossians, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.”(Colossians 4:2)
Notice the first part of that verse. “Continue earnestly.” As Christians, we should pray often and without ceasing, but notice the word “earnestly.” What does it mean to pray earnestly? It means we should pray with attention and sincerity. While the “Good food, good meat, good God, let’s eat” prayers aren’t necessarily bad, that isn’t the type of prayer that Paul is referring to, and it certainly isn’t the sort of sincere prayer that should make up the majority of our practice.

Let’s move on to the next part of this verse, “being vigilant.” When I hear the word vigilant, my mind immediately goes to the vigilante super-heroes in the movies and how they are continuously watching for danger. In our prayer life, we should make a habit of being just as watchful, not necessarily for danger, but more so for the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:26 tells us,“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
God sent the Holy Spirit to function as a “helper” for us. It moves us in ways that we can feel. In our prayers, we should be vigilant for that gentle nudge that comes from God through the Holy Spirit.

At the end of verse two, Paul mentions thankfulness. What a gratitude list we have! Jesus Christ gave us the gift of salvation. Because of that salvation, we can trade in our burdens to him in exchange for the peace and fullness of God. All of this is only possible because of the immense mercy of God. I can’t think of anything more worthy of eternal thankfulness than that. God extends new mercies every day to us. Sometimes we are simply unable to pray with a clear head. Sadness, anger, and other emotions often cloud our minds, yet there are always reasons to be thankful to God.

Throughout the four chapters of Colossians, Paul is trying to equip us with the tools we need to face the world around us. When we heed these lessons and points, we are better prepared to handle what the enemy throws at us. There will be times when we feel that our burdens are too much to bear, and Jesus simply gives us opportunity after opportunity to lay it all at the foot of His cross. Keep this in mind as you go throughout your day praying without ceasing.


More Questions:
• How many times throughout the day do you stop and simply just say thank you to God?
• When do you make time to spend in prayer?
• How do you plan to make better prayer habits a priority in your life?


Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for your steadfastness. Thank you that though sometimes we fail, you never do. Amen.


Author: Bailey Woods