Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:2-6, ESV)
Paul, the author of the book of Colossians, was a man well acquainted with suffering. He was beaten, whipped, betrayed, and was even shipwrecked. The book of Colossians was written from a prison cell. Paul was imprisoned for spreading the Gospel.
And yet Paul's main concern was still spreading the Gospel! He asks the Colossians to pray for him, that he would be able to leverage his current imprisonment to share the Gospel.
Often, when we face hard times, our first instinct can be to blame God. Maybe not directly, but we ask questions like, "God, why would you let this happen to me?" But to Paul, the answer to that question is clear. God let him be put in prison so he could share the Gospel.
Paul goes on to ask for prayer, that he would be able to make the Gospel clear. And then he exhorts the Colossians to do as he does. To leverage their current situations to share the Gospel clearly.
Our circumstances, good or bad, are opportunities to speak of Christ's saving work on the cross. Your ability to remain faithful to Christ through hard times may be the strongest testimony of all.
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