Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

How does thankfulness aid watchfulness? This verse indicates that Paul believes watchfulness and thankfulness are connected.  In Ephesians 5:3-4 Paul reveals that thankfulness helps us put off covetousness. In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul reveals that thankfulness helps us experience the transcendent peace of God. In Philippians 4:11-12, thankfulness also aided Paul with learning contentment. But how does thankfulness connect with watchfulness? 

In a past blog series entitled “Just a Little More,” I discuss how thankfulness makes us more aware of all we have been given instead of the more we wish we had. I conclude that lust and gratitude can not co-exist in the human heart – neither can covetousness and contentment. We need more thankfulness to gain more contentment and peace. Similarly, Paul is saying in Colossians 4:2 that we need more thankfulness to gain better watchfulness. Paul commands us to be  “watchful…with thanksgiving.” 

In verse 3, Paul asks us to pray that he will use the doors that God opens as opportunities to make clear the mystery of Christ with his words. He needs to be watchful for the open doors. Thankfulness for past open doors in which God used us to influence others to know Christ and be more like him sobers us to pray for God to do it again. If all we do is pray for more open doors without seeing and saying thank you for the mighty ways he has opened doors and moved mountains in the past – our praying would not be as “watchful.” I don’t watch as eagerly and expectantly for an athlete to pull off a great feat unless he or she has done so in the past. Thankfulness motivates greater sobriety for God to open doors for us to impact others and for God to do greater works through us for His glory. Indeed, let us be “watchful….with thanksgiving.” 

In verse 4, Paul tells us to be watchful in making the most of opportunities with outsiders. He is assuming God will open doors for us as well. Thankfulness helps my heart wait with greater expectancy each day for God to guide me into the good works he has ordained me to accomplish in my family, church, workplace, and community. Even if a family member is completely closed off to discussion on the reality and goodness of Christ – even hostile – God can break down the walls. I Corinthians 3:5-7 clarifies that God gives His servant the opportunity to sow and water in the soul of others what He then grows. Thanksgiving takes the pressure off of me to cause, convince, and change someone and instead calls me to trust God and walk in wisdom. I need not argue with the atheist, the hard-hearted, or the foolish; I simply need to be watchful in prayer with thanksgiving as I respond – and God will work in His time. 

In verse 5, Paul gives us a specific example of how to make the most of every opportunity in our world of words. He commands us to season every word with grace – “Always with grace.” Paul says that doing so will empower us to know how best to respond to each person. What a promise! How often do you and I not know how to handle a tough conversation with a family member? When was the last time you experienced hurt, disappointment, or shock in a relational interaction? In those moments, if thankfulness to God was in our hearts, grace from God could be in our lips. Thankfulness would help us keep our composure no matter the topic – to keep our sobriety in what is most important to say and do.

Those who are deeply concerned about the direction of a loved one or of the world today, I believe, especially need to mix thankfulness to God with those concerns. If you do not, you will not make the most of the opportunity for Christ and you will not walk in wisdom with outsiders.

I researched briefly to identify what differences exist on the internet that divide us most. The topics that seemed most controversial and energized anger and fear most were climate change, healthcare and vacinnes; immigration, gun control, financial equity, social equity, gender confusion, women’s rights, free speech, privacy protection, election integrity and education reform. There are so many land mine differences that exist on so many topics. Apart from sobriety and thankfulness – war and destruction will abound. 

Keep thankfulness in your heart to God to keep sobriety in your responses to people.   

Thankfulness to God will keep you from arguing, acting unbecoming, and losing peace and contentment when dealing with relationship trouble or fundamental differences – regardless of the topic or fear. Instead, thankfulness will empower you to walk with wisdom and to put a period when a conversation becomes unproductive. Thankfulness to God will empower you not to have the last word in a debate and to be less defensive and more winsome and understanding. You will have the power to have grace in every word and wisdom in every action because thankfulness will be in every thought. This is the life-giving insight of Colossians 4:2.

God is good, God is great, there is no crisis when this God is in charge – only opportunities to please God in how we influence and love as we wait for the next miracle of God in our lives and relationships. Thanksgiving has the power to keep us sober to all of this. Thank you, Paul, for reminding us to be “watchful with thanksgiving.”

For more help on this, consider one or more of the following.