To Encourage You

Colossians 4:2 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

In reference to prayer, the verse above tells us to be watchful.  Watchfulness as it is used in the Scriptures often refers to how we should be very alert regarding our need for God’s help. We are weak, vulnerable to all kinds of temptations that can lead to sin and its destructive influences on our life.  The Bible tells us to “be sober-minded; be WATCHFUL. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  Because of this, we should pray – all the time about everything.  

The Bible also tells us to be watchful regarding the coming of the Lord, for no one knows the day or the hour. We are to be continually alert to this and living a life that will glorify Him when He comes (or we go to Him, first, by way of death).  Again, we are to watch about such things, and pray for God’s help in them.  Thus, the Lord has told us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” and “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It is about such things we are to watch and pray.  

But then the verse above tells us to pray “with thanksgiving.”  Here God is telling us that while we are to be watchful regarding ourselves, especially as to our weaknesses and our need for His help in every area of life, we are to, at the same time, be ever thankful for the power available to us in Him.  In other words, we are to be watchful in regards to OURSELVES, but thankful in reference to HIM.  We can thank Him for His promises, such as His promise to meet all of our needs. We can thank Him that although we are weak, He is strong, and that because of this it is through Him that we can do all things to which He has called us (Philippians 4:13). And then when we do obey Him and experience the joy of seeing the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit manifest in our lives, we are to be watchful that we not become proud spiritually, but thankful that God has chosen to work in and through us in spite of our sinful natural bent.  We are to be those who acknowledge that it is only “by grace (we) have been saved through faith. And this is not (our) own doing; it is the gift of God,  not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).  

Aren’t you thankful that we have a God Who hears and answers prayer? Aren’t you thankful that His Word is true, and because of this we can thank God for hearing and answering us before the answer even comes? That was the attitude of David as he prayed, “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation” (Psalm 5:3). 

Prayer – something to be done with watchfulness regarding ourselves but with thankfulness regarding our Lord.  What a wonderful means God has made for our weakness to be united to His strength.  May God help us to continue steadfastly in it.