Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:2–6)
Persevere in prayer, be diligent about it. And if I don’t
know what to pray for, the passage gives several clues.
The first is to pray that Christians, myself included,
will have opportunities to share the Gospel with others. We could go out there
and just shout it at everyone, but people may not be ready or willing to
listen. To them, our words are just noise, and sometimes very annoying. We need
to pay careful attention to the Holy Spirit so we know when to open our mouths.
The second request is that we make it clear. Years ago,
I attended training sessions where we were taught one way of explaining the
Gospel. It was helpful in that this ‘script’ gave me confidence, but God showed
me something I needed to learn. I used to think that a well-delivered message
would convince anyone, but first time I used my practiced Gospel presentation, I
mangled it, totally making a mess of the script.
God, who gave the opportunity to speak, had a lesson
for me. He opened the heart of the listener and much to my amazement, she
became a Christian. This proved to me that while clarity is important, it is God
who uses what we say as He sees fit. I cannot depend on “clear” words but on
His Spirit. That “success” with my botching was a more powerful lesson than
many “failures with clarity” would have been.
Another request from the above passage is that Christians,
including me, walk in wisdom toward those who do not know Jesus. We are to use
our time wisely, but especially the time we spend with them. That wisdom
includes gracious speech that is also salty, making them thirsty for God and
putting questions about spiritual matters in their hearts.
While all of this is helpful, prayer is still a
mystery. Why does God answer some prayers almost as soon as they are uttered, but
takes years before answering other requests? Why does God move in the hearts of
some, but not others? Why are some Christians given many opportunities and wise
words to say, but others not so much? Why do wise and careful words move some
hearts, but not others?
I don’t know the answers. However, God says I must pray,
pray all the time and about everything. For me, that means having a sense of
helplessness; otherwise I try to do things myself without asking Him. It means
being patient regarding no answers. It means being compassionate towards those
with hearts not yet made soft. It means learning to wait and listen. It also
means learning to trust when I don’t understand.
God, prayer is an amazing privilege. I am amazed that You
listen and respond to my requests. You have answered prayer this year, this
week, even yesterday and I’m sure You will do the same today. Also, forgive the
many times I pridefully thought I could ‘do it myself’ and didn’t pray. May I have
a prayerful attitude all the time about everything — and never give up.
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