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

What words would you use to describe your prayer life? Would you use words like steadfast, watchful, and thankful? If so, fantastic! You most certainly know the pleasure of unhurried sweet fellowship with your Lord. If not, know that you aren’t alone. Christians don’t just automatically know how to pray well. Mentoring or teaching can help. Practice makes perfect.

If you’re like many believers who struggle to pray steadfastly, watchfully, and thankfully, don’t give up. Try using a little structure to guide your prayers. For example, take the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6:9-13. Rather than just quickly reading or reciting it, pray one line and then pray about anything and everything that line brings to mind. Don’t rush and don’t be concerned about bothering God. Then pray the next line and whatever it brings to mind, continuing until you’re all prayed up.

Or, choose a passage of Scripture (the psalms are great for this) and pray through it. Read a line or two, then pray about whatever that brought to your mind, whether it’s a praise, a lament, or a need that you or someone else has. Literally, whatever that line brings to mind. For most people, this is an easy way to pray deeply for quite some time.

Or follow another pattern that helps you organize the things you should pray about. One such patterns is “A-C-T-S”. Begin with ADORATION praising God for who He is. CONFESS any sins you need Him to forgive you for. Give THANKS to God regarding anything and everything for which you are thankful. Conclude with SUPPLICATION – specific requests for others and yourself.

Whatever helps you to pray, use it. Pray! Walk confidently into the throne room of God and ask for His grace and mercy. Know that He delights in your conversation and hears everything you ask of Him. Trust that He knows best how to answer any given prayer, whether that answer is Yes, No, or Keep Praying. #FollowJesus

 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” – Colossians 3:2-3

When the Bible says that you’re a new creation in Christ, it really means it! If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, then you have died to your old way of life and been raised to new life in Jesus Christ. You are a child of God. A citizen of Heaven rather than of the world. Now, you must live like it!

While you shouldn’t ignore things going on in the world – particularly those things in which you are called to minister in Christ’s name – you shouldn’t dwell too long or too deeply on them. Set your mind and heart on the eternal things of God rather than the passing things of the earth. Don’t let your emotions be dictated by the ups and downs of a dying world. Anchor your heart, soul, and mind on God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Your true life is already in and with our Triune God.

Don’t worry overly much about the setbacks, defeats, trials, and terrors of life in this world full of evil. Your new life is hidden, shielded, anchored, and protected in Christ. People and circumstances could take away your money, health, work, freedom, and family. They cannot take away God’s love, Christ’s presence, or the Spirit’s seal. Cultivate your hidden life in Christ. In that life you’ll find the power to glorify and obey Jesus throughout your earthly life, no matter what delights, terrors, victories, and tragedies it may hold. #FollowJesus

“To acquire wisdom is to love yourself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.”
– Proverbs 19:8

Self-care seems to be our culture’s favorite word in these mid-20’s. Some self-care is good stewardship of your body, mind, and energy. Other self-care is simply an excuse for self-indulgence that many can’t actually afford. What this proverb describes, however, is good biblical self-care! If you want to care well for yourself, get wisdom! If you love yourself, get wisdom!

What is wisdom? It’s knowing how to live well in a world governed by an all-knowing, all-wise, all-powerful God. Wisdom is embracing those practices, habits, and character qualities that tend to result in a godly, honorable, respectable, and successful life in God’s world. Because this world is a fallen world, wisdom doesn’t guarantee every little thing will work out perfectly. However, wisdom consistently produces satisfaction, peace, prosperity, joy, and (most importantly) God’s favor.

How do you acquire this kind of wisdom? First and foremost by regularly reading and carefully thinking about the Bible. It’s God’s Word for you and contains many applications for your life. How to live, how to love, how to work, how to play, how to interact with others, how to interact with God. It addresses right priorities, right attitudes, and right words. As you read Scripture and slow down enough to let the Holy Spirit point out areas where you need to change, you acquire wisdom. You become like Jesus. That’s real self-love and self-care! That’s a blessing that will serve you well in every circumstance in life, whether pleasant or unpleasant. #FollowJesus

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” – Colossians 1:21-22

If Jesus is your Lord, then this is what He’s done for you! When you believed the good news of Christ’s sinless life, sacrificial death, and physical resurrection, trusting your life to Him, He made peace between you and God. The two of you are reconciled now. Where there was once rebellion and warfare, there is now peace and love. By God’s grace, this is who you truly are now – holy, blameless, and above reproach.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Especially don’t tell yourself otherwise! Whatever shame lies in your past, it’s been washed away by the blood of Jesus. Whatever guilt lies in your past, Jesus has completely paid for it. Whatever failures, mistakes, and embarrassments lie in your past, God no longer sees them, chooses not to remember them, and will never remind you of them. Because of what Jesus did for you, you are truly clean, holy, and righteous in the eyes, mind, and heart of God. 100%.

Many people have trouble believing this in their own hearts. They hear the voices of others… their own voice… the voice of the devil… They struggle to let go of what Jesus has already washed away. Don’t be like that. Don’t hold on to or rehash what’s already gone and the past is truly gone. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old has passed away. Embrace the love and grace with which the Lord views you. Forgive yourself and simply #FollowJesus

“There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.”
– Proverbs 15:10

This is a recurring theme in Scripture that runs completely counter to our modern culture. We naturally desire affirmation in everything we do. Our culture teaches us to demand instant affirmation and assume the worst about anyone who doesn’t give it. We want green lights all the time. However, Scripture is clear… God gives us warnings, red lights, obstacles, setbacks, and correction to help us. To bless us. To save us from ourselves.

Sometimes this comes through the words of a trustworthy believer who sees something in our life, conduct, or character and has the loving courage to say something about it. Sometimes it comes through unexpected obstacles that slow us down or change our course. Sometimes it comes through a word of Scripture that takes on added life when we read it. Sometimes it comes through a painful event in our life that stops us in our tracks, leaving us no choice but to think.

Correction and discipline aren’t hostile acts. They aren’t given to undermine you or hurt you. They’re life-giving, soul-nourishing acts of love and kindness. We never like discipline or correction in the moment. It wounds our pride and that hates to be wounded. But God knows when we need it. Perhaps because we’re doing the wrong thing. Perhaps because we’re doing the right things in the wrong way. Perhaps because we’re doing the right things but not in step with the Lord’s pace.

The next time you find yourself frustrated or angry by things that slow you down or the words of generally trustworthy people that run against whatever you want to do take a moment to pause. Reflect on the overall situation. Rather than assume the worst, think about your motives. Your words. Your actions. Are you in step with the Lord? Are you conducting yourself like Jesus did? Instead of opposition might you be encountering the loving correction or discipline of the Lord Himself? #FollowJesus