Paul’s words to the Colossians step on most of our toes. Most Christians are willing to share the gospel with someone who asks them. But, how often do we ask God to give us the opportunity to do that?

Paul told the Colossian church to pray “steadfastly” and to be “watchful” with a heart that would be grateful to God for his answers. Then Paul asked the church to pray that God would “open a door” so that he and the other disciples could “declare the mystery of Christ.” We could think that prayer was just for Paul except for verses like Acts 1:8, which declares that all Christians are empowered by the Holy Spirit and have become disciples.

Theologically, we are called to pray like Paul for the opportunities to “open doors so we can declare the mystery of Christ.” Honestly, as I often tell my friends, it’s easier to write about God’s wisdom than it is to faithfully obey it.

We pray for the people we know who need to be saved, but are we also praying to share God’s word with people we don’t know?

We pray steadfastly each day and want to live with thanksgiving for the many blessings in our lives. I don’t always feel grateful when God leads me into a conversation where I know I will need to do my best to “speak the truth in love.” Some of those conversations end with hurt feelings, a broken relationship, or simply scornful or disdainful looks. It’s hard to pray for those possibilities with gratitude.

Paul prayed for the opportunity to share “the mystery of Christ,” and God is still answering that prayer and opening doors for Paul’s words today. Wisdom is joyfully sharing Christ with others. Sometimes joy is our substitute for happiness. We can wisely share God’s truth and have joy in our obedience, even if it brings moments of temporary sadness to our lives. As the Greek proverb says, “Great people plant trees they will never sit under.” We need to pray for the opportunities to share seeds of truth about Christ. We may never see the results, but God will.