Struggle in prayer

Col 4:12-13

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

• How could Epaphras be with Paul (wherever he was) and still struggle for the Colossian church?
  
• Why would prayer be considered a place of struggle?
  
• What did Epaphras pray for?
  
• Who do you struggle for in your prayers?
  
• When you pray for someone, what is your usual requests?
  
• Who do you have such deep concern that you would struggle earnestly in prayer for them?
  
• What does it mean to you that someone you care for is "standing mature and fully assured in all the will of God"?

Purpose and Power

Col 1:28-29

…the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

• Who is Paul's audience when he proclaims Christ?
  
• What does it mean to be mature in Christ?
  
• How does warning and teaching result in maturity in Christ?
  
• How mature are you in Christ? What areas need work?
  
• What was working in Paul so that he could proclaim Christ?
  
• What power is available to you if you want to be mature in Christ?

Harold's Musings
What a challenge put before us! To proclaim Christ to everyone. To warn everyone. To teach everyone. To present everyone mature in Christ. Or do you think this is only for Paul? That you and I get a pass on this challenge? I know I stuggle with the scope of the challenge, but Paul struggled to achieve the goal. Paul realized that he could not do it alone. He realized the energy that he had been given. Like the electricity that runs throughout our houses, Christ's energy is available but untouched unless we plug ourselves in. Just perhaps that comes with maturity.