Today's Reading: Colossians 4:2-4

Colossians 4:2 (ESV) "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."

Staring at the ceiling, tears trickling onto my pillow, I struggled to put into words the desperate pleas of my heart. I knew how to pray in good times, but now that God allowed suffering in, I struggled.

Writing from prison to the church at Colossae, Paul taught the Colossians how to pray at such times. Paul could have earnestly prayed for himself — for his release from prison — but instead he prayed that he would be a faithful witness for Christ. (Colossians 4:3-4)

Paul had in mind God's glory and purposes over his personal experience. The book of Colossians was written primarily to address heresy in Colossae, and to teach the church at Colossae about the sufficiency of Christ. In a culture that was steeped in humanism, Jewish legalism and Gnosticism, Paul showed the Colossians how and what they should pray.

Paul listed three key components that embody truly biblical prayer: continue steadfastly, be watchful and pray with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2)

1. Paul's exhortation to "continue steadfastly" (Colossians 4:2) can be translated as "devote yourselves" (NIV). Paul revealed what devotion in prayer to Christ alone looked like. It hinged on Christ, not self. This type of prayer was a clarion call to a people steeped in a self-centered culture that maintained allegiance to whatever each person's "truth" was.

2. Paul exemplified devotion in prayer. He told the Colossians to watch the intent of their hearts and focus on God's purposes, not theirs. (Colossians 4:2)

3. Paul also emphasized thanksgiving as another important part of prayer. He knew that gratitude in prayer extinguishes anxiety, (Philippians 4:6) and he encouraged believers to always give thanks for everything. (Ephesians 5:20) Thankfulness is God's will in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Praying as Paul invited the church at Colossae to pray helped shift their focus from the worries of this world towards thankfulness to God, who was in complete control. Thankfulness can shift our hearts, too.

Jesus modeled this thankfulness in prayer to God the Father. He gave thanks for food when there wasn't enough. (Matthew 15:35-37) He gave thanks before the healing of Lazarus. (John 11:40-42) He gave thanks for God's revelation. And Jesus gave thanks to God before He was crucified. (Luke 22:18-20) Jesus' thankfulness was before the answers to the prayers He spoke, and His prayers always centered on God's purposes and glory.

We live in a world today that can be described as tumultuous, not so different from the Colossians': a culture in which truth is relative, a time when prayers might seem pointless. But our prayers are effective and powerful when they are prayed according to God's will, not ours. (James 5:16)

Prayer: God, help me to fervently and persistently pray, even and especially in the hard situations of life. Help me to pay attention to Your Spirit and direction in prayer and to yield my plans to You. In Jesus' name, amen.