It Starts Small

² Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. ³ And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. ⁴ Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. ⁵ Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 4:2-6

 Devote yourselves to prayer,

Paul fervently urges the Colossian believers to embrace a vibrant lifestyle of prayer. The term “steadfast” underscores their need to remain unwavering in the face of challenges and temptations. Maintaining a devoted prayer life is not an easy task. However, what remains true both then and now is that countless individuals are consumed by their busyness. Jesus is the perfect example. He led a very busy life with meaningful activities. And yet He always made time to pray.

¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 5:17

The disciples faced far fewer distractions than we do today, yet they struggled to remain devoted in prayer. On that fateful night when Jesus was betrayed, they succumbed to sleep repeatedly. They neglected the solemn request of their beloved teacher to pray.

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Matthew 26:40-41

It is truly a challenge to pray for a whole hour. You may find yourself fighting against sleep in the stillness. Perhaps you’re pulled away by the incessant buzz of your phone, messages, or the lure of the internet. Take a moment to reflect on your prayer life. How much time do you dedicate to praying each day? How much time do you yearn to spend in prayer? Start by carving out a specific time for this sacred practice. Don’t aim for the skies on your very first attempt—set a realistic, achievable goal. If prayer isn’t a regular part of your life yet, commit to just five minutes of focused, uninterrupted prayer. If you’ve already reached that point, challenge yourself with a loftier aim. During those precious minutes, eliminate all distractions. Silence your phone or leave it in another room. Close your door and surrender to the moment. Embrace this routine daily for a week, then allow yourself to stretch the time further.

We are fervently called to be vigilant in our prayers! Understand that the temptation to cease praying will arise; you may feel the pull to doze off or to surrender. Stay awake, stay determined, and relentlessly assess your journey!

being watchful and thankful

Here is one of the most vital ingredients that should infuse your prayer life with vigor and purpose! Spending time in heartfelt gratitude towards God is not merely a display of polite manners. It profoundly shapes your own outlook and attitude. The stark contrast to thanksgiving is the debilitating act of complaining. Reflect on the incredible ways God has touched your life. You’ll begin to uncover just how blessed you truly are. Counting your blessings can ignite a transformative shift in your perspective, filling you with optimism and joy. Embrace a powerful practice: write down each prayer request you have. When God answers, jot down those responses. Whether the answer is what you hoped for or not, lift your thanks to Him! As this list grows, you’ll witness the magnificent ways God is working in your life. This practice trains you to be ever observant. It makes you eager to recognize His divine movements.

---

---

pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message

Paul passionately instructs the Colossian believers on what to fervently seek in prayer. From this, we can glean two profound insights that can transform our approach to intercession.

Firstly, we are called to lift others up in prayer with fervor and passion! Humanity battles a deep-rooted selfishness, the most fundamental sin that plagues us all. This selfishness worms its way into our lives. In particular, it shows in our conversations. We often dominate discussions with our own stories. We neglect to inquire about others and their struggles. It can ripple through our prayer lives as well when we focus mainly on our own needs. Yes, we must pray for ourselves, but let us not forget the urgency of interceding for others! We need to make it a sacred habit. We should pray not just for our family and friends. We must also remember the dedicated Christian workers around the globe. Pastors, evangelists, elders, missionaries, disciple makers—these valiant souls should be in our thoughts. They should also be on our lips as we fervently intercede for them before our Heavenly Father!

Secondly, let us embrace a profound lesson about the power of prayer for others. Paul fervently implores us to pray for the bold advancement of the gospel—a truly spiritual necessity! It’s easy to get caught up in our earthly concerns like health, finances, studies, and career. However, we must remember our prayers should be filled with a passion for spiritually significant matters. A mere glance at the epistles reveals that these deeply meaningful requests must fill the heart of our prayer life. We should fervently seek prayers for the spread of the gospel. We should also pray for the fruit of the Spirit, character building, and the salvation of lost souls. Our prayers should include the perseverance of the persecuted church, heavenly wisdom, and God’s radiant glory. There’s still so much more we can pray for!

so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

Paul was fervently persecuted for his tireless dedication to spreading the gospel. In the Western world, many may naively believe that persecution is merely a relic of the past. Yet, that is far from the truth. Take a moment to fervently lift up your persecuted brothers and sisters around the globe. They are in desperate need of your prayers and support.

make the most of every opportunity.

Life is a fleeting moment, a breath in the vastness of eternity. In James 4:14, our existence is chillingly likened to a vapor—glimmering for just a heartbeat before it dissipates. Turn on the news. It serves as a stark reminder of how brutally unpredictable life can be. We witness so many lives extinguished in the blink of an eye.

God has placed each of us on this earth with a divine purpose! He has crafted unique good deeds and missions, waiting for us to embrace and conquer for Him (Ephesians 2:10). Every single day gifts us a golden chance to engage in the extraordinary tasks God has lined up for us. But remember, if we neglect these opportunities, they vanish forever, and we’ll never see them again. Are you intentionally making the most of your time? When you find yourself with an abundance of free time, what do you typically choose to do? Reflect deeply. Are there distractions in your life? Do they steal away precious moments and prevent you from using your time to its fullest potential?

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt,

Words carry immense weight. One chant that echoes through playgrounds in schools is, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Children recite this mantra as a shield against hurt, but it’s a profound misinterpretation of reality. The truth is that words can wound deeply (James 3:1-12). Hurtful remarks can create a chain reaction of shattered relationships, seething anger, and oppressive silence. Once unleashed, words cannot be taken back. The realm of social media intensifies this issue. Many individuals have faced public shaming. Reckless, poorly considered posts resurface from the past. In this digital age, hitting “send” feels like sealing a fate—there’s no turning back.

That is why self-control is absolutely vital! We must all implement a powerful filter over our mouths. We should pause to truly consider our words before we speak (or hit send). Yet, even this level of caution falls short!

⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Luke 6:45

Eventually, your thoughts will burst forth from your lips, impossible to stifle! No matter how hard you attempt to hold back, a flicker of anger or a rush of haste will lay bare your true feelings. Yes, we must strive for self-control, but silence is not the solution! Our tongues, while capable of great havoc, possess an equally magnificent power. They can heal wounds, ignite encouragement, elevate spirits, and bring about restoration!

And that’s why our only hope lies in a profound transformation from within! As we draw nearer to God, He will rejuvenate our hearts through His Word and by His Spirit. In that beautiful process, gracious, kind, and uplifting words will pour forth from our hearts, touching everyone around us. Remember, practice fuels excellence! The more you embrace the art of encouraging others with your words, the more effortless and instinctive it will become.

²⁴ Gracious words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24

We can either wield our words as weapons that wound and humiliate. Alternatively, we can transform them into a powerful healing balm that uplifts and nurtures. Paul passionately reminds us that our speech must be seasoned with salt. In the ancient world, salt was not just a flavor enhancer; it was a vital preservative that guarded against decay. They salted food not merely for taste, but to stave off corruption and prolong life. Likewise, our words should breathe life into others. The most profound way our words can bring vitality is when we share the glorious good news of Jesus. We also impart His teachings. This fills hearts with hope and purpose.

---

Cross-References

• James 5:16
• Ephesians 6:18
• Matthew 5:44
• Ephesians 4:29
• Proverbs 18:20-21
• Proverbs 17:28
• Proverbs 15:4

Discussion Questions

• How can we devote ourselves to prayer?
• How can you be alert in prayer?
• What other ingredients are essential in prayer?
• What prayer request did Paul ask the Colossians to pray?
• Are you regularly praying for others?
• Can you think of examples in the Bible of people who devoted themselves to prayer?
• How about examples where people should have prayed, but didn’t?
• Who are the outsiders in verse 5?
• How should we act toward them?
• What does it mean to conduct yourselves with wisdom?
• What is a good use of time? What is a poor use of time?
• What should your speech be like?
• How can we give grace to others in the words that we say?
• Do you go out of your way to say positive things to others?
• What is the purpose of salt?
• Why should speech be “seasoned” with it?
• Should we respond the same way to every person?
• How can we know how we should respond to different people with different personalities?

---

© Kimberlee Smith 2025 http://www.itstartssmall.com All rights reserved.