Let’s Talk: Devoted to Prayer

At the beginning of the year, I did something I had never done before: I created a prayer board.

One of the biggest themes, funny enough, was praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

But here’s the thing—I’m ashamed to admit that, for a large part of the year, that prayer board sat tucked away in a corner of my office, gathering dust. While I’ve certainly had times when prayer was the only thing sustaining me, I’ve also had seasons where my prayers were shallow, repetitive, and done out of routine, rather than from a place of deep fellowship with God.

Recently, I wrapped up a 9-lesson inductive Bible study through Colossians and Philemon, and let me tell you—God is so gentle in His conviction. The study wasn’t just a good deep dive into God’s Word—it was a tool He used to bring to the surface things I had tucked away or neglected to prioritize. One of those things being prayer. 

In fact, during the final week of our study, my work was overwhelming, and those around me were facing heavy burdens. And, of course, God spoke through Colossians 4:2, which says: 

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”

I hope these words, written by Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit, pierce your heart the way they did mine. This wasn’t just another verse to mentally file away—it stirred something in me, calling me to recommit to a life devoted to prayer.

The word devote, as we studied in our Bible study, is a present active imperative verb. I’ll be honest—before this study, that would have sounded like gibberish to me. But now, I understand that it’s a command. Not a suggestion, but a directive to actively devote ourselves to prayer.

We also studied the Greek word for devote—proskartereo—which means:

1. To persist in, to continue in, to persevere

2. To consistently show strength that prevails despite difficulties; to endure and stand firm, staying fixed in a particular direction

Here’s where I want us to get real.

Be honest with yourself—does your prayer life reflect this kind of devotion? If the answer is no (and I’ll admit, mine was), you’re exactly where you need to be.

What I mean is this: now that you’ve been confronted with this command to be devoted to prayer—actively and persistently—you have the opportunity to repent.

Here’s how you can do that:

1. Ask God to forgive you for the times you’ve treated prayer like a duty rather than a privilege. Remember, because of what Christ did, we can come confidently before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).

2. Ask God to forgive you for the ways you’ve tried to handle things on your own, running to your own strength instead of first bringing your burdens to the One who has all power, dominion, and authority to act on your behalf or give you wisdom on how to proceed.

3. Ask God to forgive you for the times you prayed for something once, but because you didn’t see Him move the way you wanted, you stopped praying.

Father, forgive us.

Now, once you’ve prayed with an honest heart, receive not only His forgiveness but also the power of the Holy Spirit to PRAY. In good times—pray. In hard times—pray. In abundance—pray. In lack—pray. In every circumstance, with thankful hearts, knowing that He gives us so much more than we deserve, friend—pray.