Before starting this study, take a moment to read Colossians 1:9-14. Although I’ll primarily be using the NIV version for the preparation of this study, you can read from whichever version you prefer.

In today’s passage, Paul is continuing his opening prayer and thanksgiving section. He shares that he’s prayed for this congregation constantly. This shows that his commitment to prayer wasn’t just a passing or occasional thing, but born of a deep devotion for God’s people around the world.

He prays specifically that he can see them bear fruit in every good work. Paul wants to see the people of Colossae thrive as a church, showing the world the good change that has occurred in them.

In the same way, we’re challenged today to be a people marked by prayer and changed lives. We aught to be devoted to praying for others at all times, not just when specific prayer needs arise.

An Example of Prayer

Paul’s prayers, in Colossians and otherwise, paint a picture of a man who was deeply committed to praying for the churches around the world. Unlike many of the other churches who received letters from Paul, the people of Colossae had likely never even met him.

Even so, Paul prayed for them endlessly. It isn’t a stretch to imagine that Paul could have had a list of people and churches he prayed for constantly.

Do we know for sure if he had a prayer list? No. And it’s quite possible he didn’t have a formal list at all. Personally, it doesn’t seem like a stretch to me to believe that his sincere love for the people of God around the world drove him to prayer.

Each time these churches came to mind, Paul would pray. The commentary I read about this passage said it wasn’t hard to imagine Paul sitting and sewing tents while earnestly praying for the people of God around the world.

Even as he went about doing the mundane things of life, such as making a living by making tents, Paul prayed. And because of his prayers, he wrote to and encouraged churches around the world.

Bearing Fruit in Every Good Work

Paul makes the content of those prayers clear. He wants to see the Christians in Colossae live changed lives that bear fruit in every good work. Christians must be so radically changed by the Gospel that they cannot help but do good things for the people around them.

Besides being filled with good works, there are two things Paul prays for the people of Colossae. He prays that they would have great endurance and patience, no matter what life throws at them. He also prays that they’d give joyful thanks to God for all God has done.

Endurance and patience are essential if we are going to be people who look like Jesus. It’s fairly easy to be a decent person when things are going well. However, followers of Jesus are called to look different, especially when things are going wrong.

When a Christian goes through hardship, endurance is the strength that comes from Holy Spirit. It allows us to handle pressure and live changed lives. Patience is needed because when life gets hard, we need to be even more intentional about the ways we interact with those around us.

Paul prays that the people at Colossae would give joyful thanks to the Father. Gratitude shapes us. When we take time to thank God for all that is good in our lives, it’s easier for us to cope with the things that aren’t going well.

But here, I think it’s more than that. Later in the letter, Paul will remind the church that the grace they’ve received is a gift, not something that needs to be earned. By starting with gratitude, the people are reminded that all good things come from God, not their own striving.

Application

I’ve often heard that one of the biggest lies told by Christians is, “I’ll be praying for you.” Let’s be honest: life gets busy and sometimes we forget to pray for the people we’ve agreed to pray for. It isn’t that we don’t mean it, necessarily, but that other things press in and (unfortunately) crowd out our prayers.

We need to be a people who are shaped by prayer. Christians should not be people who flippantly chirp about how they’re sending “thoughts and prayers” when bad things happen, but people who are sincerely and earnestly praying for the world around us.

Paul didn’t just pray for the churches when things were bad, but prayed for them at all times. Sometimes we forget to pray for our friends and family when we don’t know about any pressing needs they may have. The truth is, we should be praying for those we love, even when everything looks like it’s going right.

There are things and people we naturally pray for all the time. For me, I pray constantly for a loved one who is dealing with addiction. I also pray throughout the day for a dear friend who is going through some health challenges.

While those major requests weigh on our hearts and drive us to prayer without much reminder, it’s okay to need reminders to pray. Whether you keep a prayer journal or use a prayer app, there are lots of great ways to keep track of the things you want to prioritize praying about during your unending stream of prayers.

Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father,

Help me to remember to pray to you not just at certain times of day or when I need something, but at all times. Shape me into a person of prayer. Make my heart receptive to the nudges of your Spirit to the point others know I mean it, truly, when I say, “I’m praying for you.”

Amen