“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
(Colossians 2:1-3 ESV)
We are naturally concerned for the welfare of those who are close to us. We are concerned for the welfare of those who are near and dear to our heart. We want the best for them. And we don’t want to see anything bad happen to them.
When it comes to our fellow believers in Christ, we’re concerned for their welfare here in this world. But, more than that, we’re concerned for their spiritual welfare. We want to see them grow in faith, escape from temptation, and overcome the struggles and doubts they may face.
While we know there are believers all around the world, and while we hate to hear of the persecution they sometimes face, we’re not as concerned for their welfare. The thought of them rarely crosses our mind. And, for this reason, our prayers for them are infrequent at best.
In the above passage, we see Paul’s concern not for the churches with which he was acquainted. We see his concern not for those among whom he’d ministered. We see his concern for those who had not seen him in person.
Paul says that he is struggling for the believers in the Colossian Church, for those at Laodicea, and for others who had not seen him face to face. The Word “struggle” means that he was in agony because of them. It means that he was worried about their welfare.
He desires that they might be encouraged. He longed to see them being knit together in love. And he desired that they would come to the full assurance provided by the gospel.
Personally, I spend a great deal of time in prayer for my family. I also do so for the members of my congregation. However, that being said, I confess a lack of concern for my brothers and sisters who are unseen and unknown to me. I certainly don’t want anything bad to happen to them. But I certainly haven’t struggled for them.
As we’re called to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation, as we’re called to make disciples of all nations, and as we’re called to bear witness of Christ’s death and resurrection to the entire world, I pray that God would make this true of me. I pray that I would share his concern for each and every one of his people. I pray that he would cause me to agonize over them. And I pray that he would cause me to continually long for their growth in faith.
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