InColossians4:2 Paul issues the command for believers to devote themselves to prayer. The Greek word translated “devote” isproskartereo, which means to persist in or to give constant attention to. The idea is really that of being busily engaged in something, in this case, in prayer. Therefore, Paul is commanding his readers to be busy in the task of prayer (cf. 1 Th 5:17). Most days you are busy doing so many other things you probably find it hard to find time to pray. But since this is a command, you are responsible as a believer to obey it. And while obeying it may be a challenge, there are ways you can do it. Here are three suggestions that you should find helpful.
Memorizea verse of Scripture so that you can pray about it throughout the day. Some good verses for that purpose are Jos 1:8; Ps 1:1-3; Jer 29:11; Mt 6:33-34; Jn 15:5; Ro 12:1-2; Heb 4:13; 1 Pt 2:9-10; 1 Jn 2:15-17. As you work on learning the passage you can also pray about what it teaches and ask God to help you and others to apply it.
Meditateupon a small portion of your daily Bible reading and keep thinking through the implications of it as you go throughout your day. Let’s say that 1 John 1:6-7 is a part of your daily reading. It says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and theblood of JesusHis Son cleanses us from all sin” (NASB). As you meditate upon this passage throughout the day it will make you more aware of the numerous times during the course of the day when you are tempted to engage in sinful actions or to entertain sinful thoughts. For example, it will help you to be more sensitive to how advertizing lures you into thinking ungodly thoughts and it will remind you to turn away from those temptations and walk in the Light instead. You will therefore recognize how much you need to pray for God to help you to overcome these temptations.
Make timeat various intervals throughout the day to stop what ever you are doing and take a few minutes to do nothing but pray. You can do this during your scheduled breaks at work or while on your way from one class to another if you are a student. Even if you can only utilize the time it takes to go to the bathroom or to get a drink of water, you can still pray at those times. Take the first opportunity to give praise to God for being who he is, the second to give thanks to him for providing for your needs, the third to intercede for others who have needs that you are aware of, and during the fourth you can take your own needs to him in prayer. Of course if you have more or less breaks you can adjust your plan accordingly.
The main point is to be busy in prayer. AsJohn Piperhas put it, “when we become what God created us to be we become people of prayer” [Desiring God(Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Press, 1986), p. 139].
