Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2 NIV
In Colossians 4:2, Scripture instructs us plainly: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” This is not a casual suggestion. It is a divine expectation. It reveals the attitude that must mark every believer’s journey. Being devoted to prayer and living a life of watchfulness and thankfulness is a necessity.
Devotion implies wholehearted commitment. When you devote yourself to something, you give it your attention, your time, and your consistency. You treat it as sacred. You do not approach it occasionally or emotionally; instead, you approach it deliberately and faithfully. Therefore, when Scripture says devote yourselves to prayer, it calls us into a lifestyle, not an event.
This instruction aligns with 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which says, “Pray without ceasing.” In other words, prayer must become the atmosphere of our lives. It must shape how we think, how we respond, and how we discern. We cannot reduce prayer to a scheduled moment alone; rather, we must carry a posture of communion with God throughout the day.
However, Colossians does not stop at prayer. It adds two companions: watchfulness and thankfulness. These three must walk together. You must be devoted to prayer and at the same time be watchful and thankful.
Jesus emphasised this truth in the Garden of Gethsemane when He told His disciples to “watch and pray” (Matthew 26:41). He did not separate the two. Indeed, you cannot truly watch without praying, and you cannot effectively pray without watching. Watchfulness sharpens prayer. It makes prayer intentional. When you watch, you discern seasons, recognise spiritual patterns, and identify areas that require intercession. Then, through prayer, you respond to what you perceive.
Without watchfulness, prayer becomes vague. Without prayer, watchfulness becomes anxiety. Together, they produce spiritual alertness and authority.
Furthermore, Scripture commands us to be thankful. Gratitude guards our hearts. It keeps pride away and strengthens faith. When we give thanks, we acknowledge God’s sovereignty and goodness, even in uncertain seasons. Thankfulness shifts our focus from what is lacking to what God has already done. It also stabilises our emotions and fuels our confidence in Him.
On this Christian journey, prayer, watchfulness, and thankfulness must never drift from us. We must not treat them as optional disciplines. Instead, we must hold them firmly as daily responsibilities. The enemy thrives where believers sleep spiritually. Therefore, we must remain watchful so that we are not ignorant of his devices. We must pray concerning what we see and even concerning what we cannot yet see. And we must give thanks continually so that our hearts remain aligned with heaven.
After describing the whole armour of God in Ephesians 6, Scripture urges us to pray at all times in the Spirit (vs 18). This reveals something profound: even after putting on the armour, we must still pick up prayer. Prayer works in tandem with the armour, sustains the soldier, and keeps us standing.
We cannot overemphasise prayer. We cannot remove watchfulness from our walk. And the moment we abandon thankfulness, our spiritual life becomes imbalanced. Therefore, devote yourself to prayer. Give yourself fully, be tenacious about it. Take personal responsibility for your spiritual posture. Choose to pray, watch and give thanks.
Living It Out
Devotion to prayer begins with intentional structure and sustained discipline. Set apart time daily, yet also cultivate spontaneous communion with God throughout your day. As you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to heighten your discernment so that you recognise what requires intercession. Additionally, practise deliberate gratitude by recounting God’s faithfulness regularly, even in challenging seasons.
Spiritual strength does not happen accidentally. It grows where prayer remains constant, watchfulness stays sharp, and thankfulness fills the heart. A mature believer lives devoted to prayer, anchored in watchfulness, and sustained by thankfulness.