Colossians 4

Look for a Chance

In all my years of being a Christian, there have been multiple points in my walk where I’ve wondered what I should’ve been doing next. Where was I supposed to be going? Who was I supposed to be talking to? What doorway would I be crossing next?

The life of a believer can swing like a clock pendulum, going from one extreme to another. Sometimes, our lives are filled with spiritual growth, a sense of purpose, and a clear vision of the path in front of us, but that’s not always the case. More often than not, we wind up in a weird limbo state where the lamp to our feet isn’t shining through the darkness as clearly as it used to. We wonder what’s next, we question where God has us, and we end up sitting down when we should still be walking forward. The lamp doesn’t go out, but the dark becomes too unknown for us to continue with the next steps. Or maybe it feels like the road is just leading nowhere.

Because of this feeling, Christians always wonder what we should be doing during those times of uncertainty. In his farewell to the Colossians, Paul charges them with a few instructions for them to follow. It’s in these final charges that we can see what our mindset should be regardless of season we’re in at the moment.

If you ever want to know what you should be doing in your Christian walk, more than just long through the motions, then this is the passage for you.

We’re going to read Colossians 4:2-6

Colossians 4:2–6 CSB

Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should. Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

Devoted in Prayer

Paul makes it a point in all of his letters to either tell his audience he’s praying for them or that they should be in prayer; sometimes both. It’s no different in this letter. He combines prayer with the idea of staying alert and vigilant. By being devoted in their prayer life, the Colossians would be spiritually alert to the schemes of the Devil and of their own flesh.

If Paul makes this link between the two, we can safely assume that a Christian that doesn’t pray is a Christian that is easily overtaken by the world. Just like a deer is almost always alert to its surroundings, so too should Christians be spiritually alert. To be caught off guard by sin means we’ll be constantly spiritually oppressed.

When a deer is alerted to a nearby predator, a lively deer doesn’t stand around, inviting the predator to take a bite. The deer knows that the only way to live is to flee or fight, and the deer won’t come out unscathed if it does fight. We are called to do the same:

Paul tells Timothy in his letter that Timothy should flee youthful passions. (2 Timothy 2:22)

Peter says that Satan is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Paul tells us to resist the Devil. (James 4:7)

Joseph ran from sin. (Genesis 39)

Paul commands the Colossians to stay alert because that’s the only way to truly fight sin. If you aren’t praying, then you‘ll be prey. At any time and in any circumstance, whether we know the path or not, our prayer life should be strong and consistent. So, ask yourself, how often do you pray, and are you staying cautious of your sins?

Christ-centered Opportunities

While we find ourselves in prayer, we should also be praying for what Paul asks in this passage: as Christians, we should be seeking to find opportunities to share the Gospel of Christ. So often, we find ourselves entangled in our day-to-day lives, and we don’t even try to see if God is trying to send people our way or allow us to reflect Him in our actions.

A lot of Christians have the mindset that they’ll live their life, and when God wants them to share the Gospel, then He’ll drop them in their lap on a silver platter. We might say we want to tell others about Jesus, but if we’re not seeking the chance to tell someone, then how much do we really care?

Paul even goes on to say that he wants to preach the Gospel, “for which [he] is in chains.” We have a hard enough time talking to someone about Jesus when we think it will make things awkward. Paul was see physical consequences for preaching the Good News, and his response wasn’t to have it easier, it was that he would make it know as it should be know.

As commentary I read said this:

On the one hand, Paul did not pray specifically for a “preaching point,” as though that were the only approved means of spreading the gospel.

Sharing the Gospel isn’t just for preachers. Paul desired to share the Gospel any way he could, and by any means necessary. He was alert and ready for any chance to let someone know about Jesus.

More questions to reflect on: How often are you actually looking for a chance to be a witness to the Gospel? What stops you from being able to talk about Jesus?

Act Christian

Lastly, Paul reminds believers that even when we don’t know the way for sure, our conduct to those inside and outside the church should be gracious and wise. The words from your mouth should be seasoned with salt, not bitter in taste. The life of a Christian should build up and encourage, not tear down and dishearten.

On top of praying and sharing the Gospel, when we aren’t doing those things, we should be living in such a way that reflects Christ well.

We all have an opportunity this school semester to be different than we were last year. Whether in the school itself or in youth group, look for opportunities to grow in your walk and show Jesus to other people. Don’t keep your head down, hoping to be passed by.

The three things we should be doing as believers are prayer, evangelism, and encouragement. If you don’t think you do one of those expectations well, then that’s what you need to work on.

When someone accepts Christ as their Savior, the freedom and joy that comes from it should result in a chance of heart. We are forgiven of all our sins by His blood, so we should look for every chance we can to share this Good News with others.

If you truly believe that you’ve been given a chance to be set free from all your wrongs, then that’s more than worth telling. If you believe that you have a Savior that is always with you, finishing a good work in your life, then that should always be a topic of conversation. If you believe that others have been given a chance to hear the Gospel and receive eternal life, then you should want to be someone that tells them.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ was never meant to be a secret kept from the world. If you’ve received Christ, then God plans to use you to be a Gospel witness. The question that you need to consider as you leave here is, “Do you desire to be given an opportunity to share Jesus?” Everyone that hears the Gospel has a chance to freely repent of their sins and be born again. Be alert in prayer and ready to act.